SCOTLAND

Constituencies

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inquiries his Department has received from Members of the Scottish Parliament on reserved constituency issues in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office receives inquiries on a wide range of issues both reserved and devolved. We do not hold figures on numbers of enquiries received on reserved constituency matters in particular.

CABINET OFFICE

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died of alcoholic poisoning in each principal seaside town in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people died of alcoholic poisoning in each principal seaside town in each of the last five years. (123841)
	The table shows the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning in each local authority in England and Wales that has a principal seaside town, for each of the years 2007 to 2011 (the latest data available). Where more than one seaside town is within an authority, these towns are presented together. For instance, the towns of Falmouth, Newquay, St. Ives and Penzance are displayed under the local authority of Cornwall.
	
		
			 Deaths from alcohol poisoning in principal seaside towns, by local authority, England and Wales, 2007 to 2011(1,2,3,4,5) 
			 Local authority Town 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 The Vale of Glamorgan Barry 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Arun Bognor Regis 3 0 0 0 1 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire Bridlington 1 2 1 1 1 
			 Sedgemoor Burnham-on-Sea 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Tendring Clacton 0 2 1 2 1 
			 Dover Deal 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Eastbourne Eastbourne 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Teignbridge Exmouth 2 1 0 1 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Cornwall Falmouth, Newquay, St. Ives, Penzance 1 2 1 1 3 
			 Shepway Folkstone/Hythe 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth 0 1 2 1 2 
			 Blackpool Greater Blackpool 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bournemouth Greater Bournemouth 0 1 0 2 3 
			 Brighton and Hove Greater Brighton 1 0 1 1 3 
			 Worthing Greater Worthing 1 0 1 1 0 
			 Hastings Hastings/Bexhill 0 0 0 0 1 
			 North Devon llfracombe 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Isle of Wight Isle of Wight 1 1 1 0 3 
			 Conwy Llandudno/Colwyn Bay/Conwy 0 1 2 0 2 
			 Waveney Lowestoft 0 0 2 3 2 
			 West Somerset Minehead 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancaster Morecambe and Heysham 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Bridgend Porthcawl 0 0 0 2 3 
			 Denbighshire Rhyl/Prestatyn 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Scarborough Scarborough, Whitby 0 0 1 1 1 
			 East Devon Sidmouth, Dawlish/Teignmouth 0 0 1 1 0 
			 East Lindsey Skegness 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Southend- on-Sea Southend-on-Sea 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Sefton Southport 2 4 0 3 2 
			 Purbeck Swanage 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thanet Thanet 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Torbay Torbay 1 0 1 0 1 
			 North Somerset Weston-super-Mare 0 0 1 1 1 
			 Weymouth and Portland Weymouth 1 0 0 0 1 
			 North Tyneside Whitley Bay 1 1 3 1 0 
			 Canterbury Whitstable/Herne Bay 0 0 1 0 0 
			 (1) Based on boundaries as of August 2012. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (3) Figures exclude deaths of non-residents. (4) Underlying cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X45, X65 and Y15. (5) Figures represent deaths within the local authorities and not the seaside towns. Source: Office for National Statistics

British Nationals Abroad: Disasters

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what protocols have been agreed with (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) travel companies, (c) media organisations and (d) airlines over the naming of UK victims of disasters overseas.

Mark Simmonds: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is the lead department on supporting British nationals who are victims of disasters overseas. During any crisis response as a priority we will ensure that the next of kin are informed as quickly as possible by specially trained police officers or FCO consular officials. We liaise with families very closely on the naming of victims and follow data protection legislation.
	As part of our crisis response we work closely with airlines and travel companies to obtain the names of those involved so that the FCO can provide appropriate consular assistance. We encourage airlines, travel companies and the media not to release names into the public domain until the next of kin have been informed and to respect the privacy of those affected in what are very distressing circumstances.

Cleveland Fire Authority

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what funding his Department has awarded to Cleveland Fire Authority in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date.

Nick Hurd: No funding has been directly awarded or granted to Cleveland Fire Authority.
	However, the Cabinet Office has procured specialist support worth £95,000 (excluding VAT) for the benefit of Cleveland Fire Authority, under the Mutuals Support Programme.
	This information is also available on our Mutuals Information Service website at:
	http://mutuals.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions emergency disaster planning procedures have been initiated in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Chloe Smith: The national crisis management arrangements co-ordinated through the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) have been activated on a number of occasions in the past few years. Information on the frequency of Cabinet Committee and other ministerial meetings is not routinely disclosed.

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many emergency disaster planning officers are in post in the UK; and who the employing body is of each such officer.

Chloe Smith: Such data are not collected centrally.

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have attended his Department's Disaster Planning Committee since May 2010.

Chloe Smith: There is no formally constituted 'Disaster Planning Committee', As part of its terms of reference, the National Security Council sub-Committee on Threats, Hazards, Resilience and Contingencies considers:
	“issues relating to terrorism and other security, threats, hazards and resilience”.
	Although the Government publishes the title, membership and terms of reference of Cabinet committees, it has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose when they meet or the details of their proceedings, including ministerial attendance.

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with coroners on UK disaster planning procedures since 2010;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with (a) the NHS Confederation and (b) hospitals on major disaster planning procedures in the UK.

Chloe Smith: Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations
	The Cabinet Office regularly liaises with other Government Departments on UK disaster planning.

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which countries his Department has consulted with regard to disaster planning over the last three years.

Chloe Smith: The Cabinet Office has worked closely with partners from a wide range of countries and institutions over the past three years in order to learn from others' experience, promote effective disaster management practice, and support UK interests. This engagement has involved regular bilateral contact with close partners as well as involvement in relevant multilateral forums such as the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism, NATO's Civil Emergency Planning Committee, the OECD's High-Level Risk Forum, and the United Nations global and European platforms for disaster risk reduction.

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the variation in risk between different areas of the country in relation to disaster management planning.

Chloe Smith: Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, it is for local emergency responders to. identify and assess the risks of emergencies affecting the areas in which they operate. Additionally the Government provides guidance, based on the National Risk Assessment, of the kinds of risks that local responders should consider in their local risk assessments.

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which assessment of flood risk his Department has included in disaster planning management across the UK.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the National Risk Register at:
	http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/resource-library/national-risk-register

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the minimum number is of (a) fire appliances and (b) ambulances required to be within reach of UK airports in case of an emergency disaster planning procedure being initiated.

Chloe Smith: It is for each fire and rescue authorities to make their own decisions on operational response for specific incidents based on local risks. Responsibility for airport, fire and emergency cover lies with the airport operator.
	Issues relating to the ambulance service are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health

Emergencies: Planning

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the preparedness and reliability of cross-border co-operation in disaster planning in each constituent part of UK with specific reference to fire service authority borders and ambulance service authority borders; and when that assessment was last verified.

Chloe Smith: Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, fire and rescue authorities and ambulance trusts along with other responders are expected, individually and collectively, to ensure that they have effective arrangements in place to manage cross-boundary risks and to provide mutual support as necessary in an emergency.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  when he expects to publish the Major Project Authority's report on High Speed 2;
	(2)  what reason the Major Project Authority's report on High Speed 2 has not been published;
	(3)  if he will reconsider the decision not to publish the Major Project Authority report on High Speed 2.

Chloe Smith: The Major Projects Authority's first annual report will be published shortly.

Procurement

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his Department's policy is on taking into account when assessing tenders submitted for departmental contracts the (a) apprenticeship schemes, (b) policies on employment of paid interns and (c) policies of payment of at least the living wage of each bidding company.

Francis Maude: UK public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money from the perspective of the contracting authority using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.
	Wider socio-economic benefits that accrue to the contracting authority can be taken into account at tender evaluation stage if they relate to the subject matter of a contract from the point of view of the contracting authority.

Unemployment: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people were unemployed in each of the principal seaside towns in the UK in the latest period in which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of people were unemployed in each of the principal seaside towns in the UK in the latest period in which figures are available (123826).
	The ONS compiles unemployment statistics for local authorities using a model based on the Annual Population Survey (APS) and Claimant Count.
	Estimates of unemployment are not produced for the principal seaside towns in England and Wales. Instead we have provided estimates relating to the Local Authorities associated with each of these towns.
	Table 1 as follows, provides the model based unemployment rates for people resident in the relevant local authorities for the twelve month period July 2011 to June 2012.
	These figures along with a wide range of other labour market data for parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are also published on the Office for National Statistics' Nomis website:
	www.nomisweb.co.uk
	The tables will be placed in the House Library.
	
		
			 Table 1: Unemployment rate for people resident in local authorities, July 2011 to June 2012 
			 Principal seaside town Local authority Unemployment rate (percentage) 
			 Bognor Regis Arun 5.8 
			 Blackpool Blackpool 10.8 
			 Bournemouth Bournemouth 7.3 
			 Porthcawl Bridgend 8.4 
			 Brighton Brighton and Hove 7.7 
			 Whitstable/Herne Bay Canterbury 6.9 
			 Llandudno/ Colwyn Bay/Conwy Conwy 7.1 
			 Falmouth Cornwall 6.5 
			 Newquay Cornwall 6.5 
			 Penzance Cornwall 6.5 
			 St Ives Cornwall 6.5 
			 Rhyl/Prestatyn Denbighshire 7.2 
			 Deal Dover 7.9 
			 Sidmouth East Devon 5.0 
			 Skegness East Lindsey 7.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Bridlington East Riding of Yorkshire 7.0 
			 Eastbourne Eastbourne 6.8 
			 Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth 10.2 
			 Hastings/Bexhill Hastings 9.6 
			 Isle of Wight Isle of Wight 8.1 
			 Morecambe and Heysham Lancaster 7.0 
			 Ilfracombe North Devon 6.2 
			 Weston-super-Mare North Somerset 6.3 
			 Whitley Bay North Tyneside 10.9 
			 Swanage Purbeck 4.4 
			 Scarborough Scarborough 8.5 
			 Whitby Scarborough 8.5 
			 Burnham-on-Sea Sedgemoor 6.9 
			 Southport Sefton 8.7 
			 Folkstone/Hythe Shepway 7.2 
			 Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea 8.0 
			 Dawlish/Teignmouth Teignbridge 5.4 
			 Exmouth Teignbridge 5.4 
			 Clacton Tendring 8.6 
			 Thanet Thanet 11.1 
			 Barry The Vale of Glamorgan 7.7 
			 Torbay Torbay 8.7 
			 Lowestoft Waveney 8.5 
			 Minehead West Somerset 5.2 
			 Weymouth Weymouth and Portland 6.7 
			 Worthing Worthing 6.0 
			 Source: Model Based Estimates of Unemployment

Voluntary Work: Olympic Games 2012

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had with LOCOG on engaging with volunteers from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics; and what the outcome of such discussions have been.

Nick Hurd: The Government are keen to use the momentum created by both Olympic and Paralympic Games to encourage even more people to continue volunteering. We are currently in discussion with LOCOG, who own the database for the majority of volunteers, about how to best keep them engaged, to ensure that the volunteering and social action legacy of the games is maintained and enhanced.

EDUCATION

Adoption: Grandparents

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provisions are in place to allow the children of deceased adopted adults to trace their biological grandparents; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: holding answer 17 October 2012
	Any one may apply to the Registrar General for a copy of any person's birth certificate, including the birth certificate of an adopted person, to assist in tracing individuals. The Registrar General has no power to provide a copy of the birth certificate to the applicant where the applicant does not have sufficient identifying information about the person.
	In these circumstances the applicant may apply to the court, who, under section 79(4) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, may in exceptional circumstances, require the Registrar General to disclose the birth details of an adopted person.
	I understand the desire of descendants of adopted people to trace their biological family, but there is no plan at present to change the law.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.
	(2)  how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department currently has eleven paid members of staff working through its apprentice programme, undertaking an NVQ level 2 in Business and Administration (they have permanent, rather than fixed term contracts, and are therefore classed as full time employees in line with the Civil Service policy on apprenticeships).
	The Department is currently nearing the end of the recruitment process for its next cohort of paid apprentices. It is estimated that 40 apprentices will join the Department in late autumn; they will work across a range of functions and sites and undertake an NVQ level 3 qualification during their apprenticeship.
	The Department is committed to supporting the Cabinet Office Summer Diversity Internship Programme, which was first established over 10 years ago. It aims to provide high calibre undergraduates/graduates with a 6-9 week paid training work placement within government departments. In its current format, it provides opportunities for black and ethnic minority and (lower) socio-economic students.
	The key aims of the programme are to tackle any stereotypes/perceptions about the Civil Service and other agencies, whilst also promoting government departments and the Fast Stream as viable career options.
	The Department offered five Summer Diversity Intern placements during this summer lasting 8 weeks. An allowance of £350 was paid to each of the Interns, who were based in London.

Children in Care

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 left care in 2011 in (i) Stafford constituency and (ii) England.

Edward Timpson: The information requested is not available at constituency level. Information for England and Staffordshire local authority is shown in the table below. Data for 2012 have also been presented for information.
	
		
			 Children aged 16, 17 and 18 years who ceased to be looked after in Staffordshire local authority and England, years ending 31 March 2011 and 2012 
			 Number 
			   Children who have ceased care in England(2,3,4,5) Children who have ceased care in Staffordshire (1,3,6) 
			 2011 Age 16 1,930 20 
			  Age 17 1,790 25 
			  Age 18 6,280 65 
			 2012 Age 16 1,710 15 
			  Age 17 1,720 65 
			  Age 18 6,560 x 
			 Notes: 1. England numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Staffordshire numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. 3. Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements. 4. In 2012 80% of Staffordshire's 17 year old leavers were just one day short of their 18th birthday. This is due to an issue with the IT system in terms of how children leaving care when they turn 18 were presented in 2012 data returns, Consequently the proportions of leavers aged 17 and 18 should be treated with caution. 5. Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. x Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. Source: SSDA 903

Child Care

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many responses his Department received to its Childcare Commission consultation; and when he expects to publish a summary of those responses.

Elizabeth Truss: The Childcare Commission is led jointly by the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department for Education administered the call for evidence on behalf of both Departments.
	The call for evidence received 328 written responses. Other evidence-gathering and consultation activities have also taken place. The commission will publish its findings, including the results of the call for evidence. The commission is due to report in the autumn.

Civil Servants: Political Parties

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2012, Official Report, column 699W, on Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats, 
	(1)  whether he was aware of the past employment history of (a) Elena Narozanski, (b) Janet Grauberg and (c) Alexandra Gowlland at the time when they were appointed by his Department;
	(2)  whether he or other Ministers in his Department had any role in the appointment by his Department of (a) Elena Narozanski, (b) Janet Grauberg and (c) Alexandra Gowlland;
	(3)  if he will consult each Minister or former Minister since May 2010 in his Department on whether they were personally aware of any appointments falling into the categories defined.

Elizabeth Truss: All recruitment to become a civil servant is in line with the civil service commission's rules. Departments must undertake various pre-appointment checks, which includes questions on whether applicants are currently involved in activities which may compromise their impartial position in the civil service and the Department. This is to prevent any allegations of bias or prejudice in the conduct of official duties; misuse of official information; or misappropriation of public funds.
	All of the individuals the hon. Member names will have undergone these checks before taking up their employment.

Domestic Violence

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research his Department is undertaking on the effect of domestic violence on children's educational attainment.

Edward Timpson: The Department is not currently undertaking any research that specifically looks at the effect of domestic violence on children's educational attainment.
	However, we will be publishing shortly a research report which looks at ‘family factors, parental behaviours, children's outcomes and stressful life events’. The research investigated whether a range of stressful events experienced in childhood, including domestic violence/abuse, were associated with attainment and well-being in adolescence.

Foster Care: Housing Benefit

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on including foster children in the allocation of bedrooms to families that are claiming housing benefit.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education has worked closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure foster carers' unique circumstances are dealt with fairly within new housing benefit rules for families of working age living in social housing.
	As a result of these discussions, local authorities' discretionary housing fund will be increased by £5 million from April 2013 to enable authorities to make up shortfalls foster carers may face in paying their rent, including those who need to keep an extra room when they are in between fostering.

Free Schools

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding has been given to the proposers of the Rotherham Free School at all stages of its application process to date.

Elizabeth Truss: The Rotherham Central Free School proposal's approval to proceed was withdrawn in February 2012. No funding has been given to the proposers at any point.

Free Schools: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which organisations have expressed an interest in providing a free school in (a) the boroughs of (i) Tameside and (ii) Stockport and (b) Greater Manchester to date.

Elizabeth Truss: A number of organisations have applied to open a Free School within these boroughs and, to date, four applications have been approved to move to the next stage of development. These applications are from Stockport Technical School, Connell Sixth Form College, Longsight Community Primary and New Islington Free School.

Freedom of Information

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has received on the application of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to his Department's business.

Elizabeth Truss: holding reply sent 17 October
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has access to guidance from a wide variety of sources on the application of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to his Department's business, including internal guidance, guidance produced by other Government Departments and guidance published by the Information Commissioner.

Freedom of Information

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to ensure that his special advisers understand the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Elizabeth Truss: holding reply sent 17 October
	In common with all other officials in the Department, Special Advisers have access to a number of sources of information on the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Freedom of Information

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department and the public bodies for which he is responsible responded to within the statutory timescales in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Elizabeth Truss: Quarterly and annual statistics on Freedom of Information requests received by a number of central Government-monitored bodies (including all Departments of state) are published by the Ministry of Justice on their website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/foi/implementation
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/foi/implementation/implementation-editions
	The Department is asked to collate these statistics to provide a picture of FOI performance across central Government Departments.

GCSE

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the latest national figure for five A to C passes at GCSE will be released; and what that figure is.

Elizabeth Truss: On 18th October the Department published "GCSE and equivalent results (Provisional) and National Curriculum Teacher Assessments at Key Stage 3 in England, 2011/12", which is available from the Department's website at the link below:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/a00214981/gcse-national-curriculum-teacher-assessment-ks3-enqland.html
	Table 1a of this publication provides figures for the percentage of pupils achieving five good GCSEs (i.e. five GCSEs at grades A* to C).

GCSE: English Language

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from schools in Birmingham on this year's GCSE English results.

Elizabeth Truss: holding reply sent 17 October
	The Government has received representations about the GCSE English results 2012, including via Members of Parliament, from five individuals who identified themselves as working in schools and who work or live in Birmingham.

Independent Special Schools

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to develop a legal definition of an independent special school, separate from the definition of an independent mainstream school.

Elizabeth Truss: The legal definition of an independent school includes schools that make provision for mainstream pupils as well as those that are specially organised to cater for pupils with special educational needs. The Department has not taken any steps to introduce a separate legal definition of an independent special school.

King's Priory Academy

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will publish his Department's impact assessment on the decision to support the application for academy status for the proposed King's Priory Academy in Tynemouth;
	(2)  on what date ministerial approval was given to support the proposal for academy status for King's Priory Academy in Tynemouth;
	(3)  on what date the letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Tynemouth dated 12 July 2012 announcing support for the proposed King's Priory Academy in Tynemouth was sent;
	(4)  if he will list the occasions upon which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department met the Woodard Trust to discuss the proposal for academy status for King's Priory Academy in Tynemouth;
	(5)  if he will list the occasions upon which (a) Ministers, (b) officials in his Department and (c) special advisers in his Department met (i) the elected Mayor of North Tyneside, (ii) other elected representatives of North Tyneside council and (iii) officers of North Tyneside council to discuss the proposal for academy status for King’s Priory Academy in Tynemouth.

Elizabeth Truss: holding answer 18 September 2012
	Ministerial approval for the Academy Action Plan proposal for academy status for King's Priory Academy was given on 12 July. As this was after King’s School had broken up for the summer, the Woodard Trust asked us to hold the announcement until the school had returned in September. The letter to the hon. Member was sent on 3 September, the date of the announcement on the first day of term. Officials in the Department have met with the Woodard Trust on a number of occasions this year to discuss the proposal; there have been no meetings with Ministers. There have been no meetings between Ministers, officials or special advisers and the elected Mayor of North Tyneside, other elected representatives of North Tyneside council or officers of North Tyneside council to discuss the proposal. However, Departmental officials have been in contact with officers from North Tyneside council since the announcement and are in continuing discussion with them about the proposal. The full impact assessment is being worked up as part of the project development, in consultation and collaboration with the Director for Children's Services from North Tyneside council.

Physical Education: Teachers

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 599W on physical education: teachers, if he will publish the further guidance details issued.

Edward Timpson: Guidance on the PE teacher release funding, including the further details on eligible schools, level of funding, funding period and purpose of funding which I referred to in my response of 18 September, was published on the Department for Education's website on 26 April 2012. Details can be found at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/a00202097/pe-teacher-release-funding

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department has communicated the content and potential impact on public procurement of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 to its procurement staff. This has been done through the regular professional update meetings held in the Department to keep abreast of changes.
	The Department awaits guidance from Cabinet Office on how the act should be implemented across Government.

Vocational Training

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department are taking to ensure that pupils are provided with the skills and vocational training necessary to improve the long-term prospects of UK manufacturing.

Matthew Hancock: The Department is aware of the skills shortages in specific employment sectors and is committed to ensuring all 16 to 19-year-olds are equipped with the right skills and training they need for further study and work. We have focused on raising standards in maths and English, which are absolutely vital for all students' future prospects. We also commissioned Professor Alison Wolf’s review of vocational education and have made excellent progress in implementing its recommendations. We have refocused 14-16 vocational education on a small number of high value vocational qualifications and expanded vocational opportunities at university technical colleges and studio schools. From September 2013 all 16 to 19-year-olds, and not just those studying A-levels, will have the opportunity to undertake a study programme which combine qualifications of real value to employers and universities with work experience and the study of maths and English.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airguns

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions involving illegal use of airguns there were in each of the last five years.

Helen Grant: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to air weapons in England and Wales from 2007 to 2011 can be viewed in the following table.
	
		
			 Defendants proceeded against at magistrates court for offences relating to air weapons(1), England and Wales, 2007-11(2, 3) 
			  Number 
			 2007 31 
			 2008(4) 45 
			 2009 67 
			 2010 51 
			 2011 45 
			 (1) Includes those offences where air weapons can be specifically identified under the Firearms Act 1968: Sections 3(2); 21A; 22(4), and (2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Anti-slavery Day

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to promote Anti-slavery Day.

Mark Harper: 10 members of the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking, including myself, are undertaking a range of activities on or around Anti-slavery Day to raise awareness of this important issue.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many apprentices working in her Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship;
	(2)  how many (a) paid apprentices and/or (b) paid interns are employed in her Department.

Mark Harper: The Home Office Apprenticeship scheme has been in operation since 2008, available to existing staff and accessed through Learning and Development provision. Agreement for staff to complete an apprenticeship qualification is controlled locally, therefore no central data is available at present.
	The Home Office and its agencies offered internships to twenty two people from July 2012. These internships relate to the Graduate Fast Stream and are exempt from the recruitment freeze. Ten were extended beyond eight weeks, including three which were extended to December 2012.

Asylum

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications were (a) made and (b) granted to (i) women and (ii) men in each of the last five years.

Mark Harper: The following table shows the number of asylum applications made and granted by gender in the last five years.
	
		
			 Asylum applications for main applicants (a) made and (b) granted by gender 
			  Applications made Granted 
			  Persons Male Female Unknown gender Total male grants Male grants of asylum Male grants of HP Male grants of DL Total female grants Female grants of asylum Female grants of HP Female grants of DL 
			 2007 n/a n/a n/a n/a 3,746 2,026 64 1,656 1,996 1,519 60 417 
			 2008 25,932 18,524 7,390 18 4,078 2,242 46 1,790 1,814 1,485 47 282 
			 2009 24,487 16,410 8,049 28 4,408 2,286 41 2,081 2,333 1,902 53 378 
			 2010 17,916 12,571 5,329 16 3,558 2,293 29 1,236 1,633 1,193 62 378 
			 2011 19,865 14,460 5,392 13 3,920 2,994 39 887 1,727 1,318 42 367 
			 n/a = Not available Key: HP—Humanitarian Protection DL—Discretionary Leave 
		
	
	The number of asylum applications and initial decisions by gender are published on an annual basis. Latest figures can be found in Table as.03 and Table as.05 of the release 'Immigration Statistics—April to June' which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/

Asylum

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications were granted to (a) women and (b) men on the basis of (i) gender-related violence and (ii) sexual orientation in each of the last five years.

Mark Harper: The data requested are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, or produced as part of the UK Border Agency's standard reports.
	However, the Home Office publishes the number of asylum applications and initial decisions by gender on an annual basis. Latest figures can be found in Table as.03 and Table as.05 of the release ‘Immigration Statistics—April to June’ which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/

Bail

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed by people on bail in each region of the UK in 2011; and what crimes were committed in such cases.

Helen Grant: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	The following table shows the number of offenders convicted for a new offence while on bail. These figures in the table are a count of court appearances and may include instances where offenders are convicted for multiple crimes. This has been broken down into two categories and split into the Government office regions based on local authority information. There are over 6,000 types of crime recorded by the PNC and it is not feasible to list all the crimes in one table.
	
		
			 Number of offenders convicted for a new offence while on bail, 2011, England and Wales 
			 Region All convictions(1) Indictable offences 
			 North East 7,669 5,218 
			 North West 9,539 6,404 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 8,198 5,768 
			 East Midlands 5,184 3,652 
			 West Midlands 4,203 3,021 
			 East of England 4,251 2,845 
			 London 8,416 6,107 
			 South East 7,172 4,841 
			 South West 4,438 3,113 
			 Wales 4,247 2,934 
			 Unknown(2) 2,310 1,590 
			 Total 65,627 45,553 
			 (1 )All convictions include summary offences and indictable offences (indictable offences relate to crimes deemed serious enough to be automatically tried within a Crown court). Within all convictions are crimes relating to bail. (2) Unknown includes all offences committed that are not mapped to a region and may include crimes outside of England and Wales (ie Scotland and Northern Ireland). Source: Police National computer, Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	The figures given in the table have been drawn from the extract of Police National Computer (PNC) data held by the Ministry of Justice. As with any large scale recording system the PNC is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	In particular the recording of information on whether or not the offence was committed while the offender was on bail is known to be incomplete. This is because the police have available to them a number of ways of recording the bail status of an offender of which the ‘offence committed on bail' field on the PNC is one. For operational purposes police forces make differing use of these various sources and as a result figures derived purely from the PNC do not provide a complete picture of these offences, and therefore changes over time. These data may not represent real changes in offending while on bail.

Bail

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders were committed by persons on bail in each of the last 22 years.

Helen Grant: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	The table shows the numbers of offenders convicted for murder whilst on bail since 2000. Please note that the PNC only became operational from the year 2000 and we do not hold complete or reliable data prior to this date.
	
		
			 Table: Number of offenders convicted for murder(1) whilst on bail, 2001 to 2011, England and Wales 
			  All convictions 
			 2000 27 
			 2001 25 
			 2002 25 
			 2003 27 
			 2004 37 
			 2005 42 
			 2006 45 
		
	
	
		
			 2007 50 
			 2008 43 
			 2009 47 
			 2010 31 
			 2011 37 
			 Total 436 
			 (1) Murder comprises of the following crimes: Murder; Common law murder of persons aged 1 year or over; and Common law murder of infants under 1 year of age. Source: Police National Computer, Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	The figures given in the table have been drawn from the extract of Police National Computer (PNC) data held by the Ministry of Justice. As with any large scale recording system the PNC is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	In particular the recording of information on whether or not the offence was committed while the offender was on bail is known to be incomplete. This is because the police have available to them a number of ways of recording the bail status of an offender of which the ‘offence committed on bail' field on the PNC is one. For operational purposes police forces make differing use of these various sources and as a result figures derived purely from the PNC do not provide a complete picture of these offences, and therefore changes over time. These figures may not represent real changes in offending whilst on bail. Furthermore, the information held does not indicate the nature of the earlier offence for which the bail was granted but it is likely that most of the offences summarised in the table will have been committed while the offender was on bail for a less serious offences.

Borders: Personal Records

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to (a) re-tender and (b) award the lead IT contract for the e-Borders programme.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency has commenced work for a competitive procurement for the longer term border system known as Border System Procurement (BSP) to acquire a service provider to take overall responsibility for future border system applications, incorporating the existing platforms.
	Early engagement with the supplier community prior to the issue of a Prior Information Notice (PIN) is being undertaken now to test that the procurement scope and approach is viable and will attract strong proposals.
	An initial Prior Information Notice (PIN) is due to be issued in late 2012 and it is anticipated that the formal procurement process will be initiated via the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in mid to late 2013. The new service provider is due to be appointed in 2014.

Borders: Personal Records

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of the re-tendered lead IT contract for the e-Borders programme will be.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency cannot confirm precisely what the final total costs will be prior to the procurement of a new supplier and the agreement of delivery and cost terms. That process will not take place until later in 2013.

British Citizenship: Armed Forces

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) foreign and (b) Commonwealth armed forces personnel have successfully applied for UK citizenship since 2000; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: No statistical information is available which records the occupation of applicants for British citizenship. There is no route to British citizenship specific to armed forces personnel.

Deportation

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) chartered and (b) other flights have been used by the UK Border Agency to return foreign national criminals and failed asylum seekers to their home countries in each of the last five financial years; what the cost was of such flights in each such year; and how many people were returned on such flights in each such year.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency enforces the return of individuals whom it is satisfied have no right to be in the United Kingdom and who do not leave voluntarily. The Agency uses a mixture of both chartered and scheduled flights to achieve successful, cost effective removals.
	It is not possible to provide the information requested on the number of "other flights" used over the last five years. Published statistics record the number of individuals removed rather than the number of flights used by the UK Border Agency. Immigration statistics are published annually and quarterly in the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom bulletins, which are available on the Home Office's Science, Research and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q2-2011v2/removals-q2-11-tabs
	The following tables may be of use:
	rv.01—Removals and voluntary departures by type and asylum / non-asylum cases—2004 to 2011
	rv.01 .q—Removals and voluntary departures by type and asylum / non-asylum cases—Q1 2004 to Q2 2012
	The following table shows the number of chartered flights in each of the last five financial years, and the number of foreign national offenders and failed asylum seekers returned via such flights in each financial year. These removals are included in the published statistics above.
	
		
			 Financial year Number of charter flights Failed asylum seekers Foreign national offenders Total removed 
			 2007-08 68 n/a n/a 1,263 
			 2008-09 67 n/a n/a 1,658 
			 2009-10 67 n/a n/a 2,144 
			 2010-11 53 1,202 473 1,826 
			 2011-12 36 1,040 291 1,647 
		
	
	The total cost of flights used for each of the last five financial years is detailed in the table. This includes total operating costs for all chartered and other flights as accounting information does not provide a more detailed breakdown. The data are taken from management information, which is provisional, subject to change and does not form part of national statistics.
	Increased expenditure on charter flights from the UK reflects the general rise in the cost of air travel since 2004, and a greater number of flights to countries outside Europe.
	The annual cost of UKBA led charter flights has risen since 2004-05 because the Agency has had to return more people over that period to long haul destinations. 2004-05 saw charters depart to Kosovo, Albania and Romania while in 2010-11, destinations have included Jamaica, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Iraq. Both this and the general increase in aviation costs over recent years account for the increased expenditure.
	
		
			 Gross removal costs 2005-10 
			  Public Expense Removals (PERs) (£ million) 
			 2006-07 20.2 
			 2007-08 22.3 
			 2008-09 27.0 
			 2009-10 27.5 
			 2010-11 28.4

Deportation

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases it has taken (a) two, (b) three and (c) four attempts to return a foreign national criminal or failed asylum seeker because of disruption to the flight or a last-minute legal appeal in each of the last three years.

Mark Harper: The data requested are not published or routinely recorded by the UK Border Agency. It is not possible to provide an accurate breakdown without examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.

Deportation: Armed Forces

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) foreign and (b) Commonwealth soldiers have been deported following an unsuccessful application for (i) British citizenship and (ii) leave to remain as a result of unspent criminal convictions in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The data requested are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, or produced as part of the UK Border Agency's standard report.
	The Home Office publishes immigration statistics annually and quarterly, which are available from the Home Office Research and Statistics website. This includes information on removals by nationality. The latest statistics can be found in the Library of the House as well as on the following website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/

Deportation: Armed Forces

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former and serving (a) foreign and (b) Commonwealth soldiers were deported in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012; and how many such former and serving soldiers are facing deportation.

Mark Harper: Service and work histories of people removed from the UK are held only at the level of coordinated paper case files or within the notes section of the UK Border Agency’s Case Information Database (CID). Those data are not aggregated in national reporting systems, and therefore this information could be provided only through a disproportionately expensive manual case search to collate the data.

Deportation: Offenders

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost to the Government of deporting foreign national offenders was in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: The UK Border Agency does not hold the information on the total cost of deporting foreign national offenders for the term requested. To obtain this information a large volume of electronic records would need to be analysed which would incur a disproportionate cost. The UK Border Agency's overall expenditure is published in its Annual Report and Accounts.

Drugs: Misuse

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the costs to her Department of the use of narcotics by employees of her Department and the public bodies for which she is responsible.

Mark Harper: The Home Office has not made any such estimate. Information on the cost of the use of narcotics by employees is not held centrally.

Extradition

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British citizens were (a) extradited from and (b) deported to the UK from (i) France, (ii) Germany, (iii) Poland, (iv) the Netherlands and (v) the EU as a whole in each year from 2004 to date.

Mark Harper: holding answer 17 October 2012
	The Home Office is unable to answer the deportation aspect of this question; this would be a question for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, but figures for the numbers of people extradited from the EU to the UK are provided as follows:
	(a) Since the introduction of the EAW in 2004 until 31 March 2012, 225 British citizens have been surrendered from the UK to another European Union member state under the EAW process. Due to the way in which data was recorded prior to 1 October 2008 it is not possible to provide data on the number of British citizens surrendered to each EU member state prior to this date. The table gives the breakdown into the respective countries from October 2008.
	(b) Since the introduction of the EAW in 2004 until 31 March 2012, 667 individuals have been surrendered to the UK from another European Union member state under the EAW process. Due to the way data was recorded prior to 1 April 2009 it is not possible to provide data on the number surrendered to the UK from each European Union member state prior to this date. The table gives the breakdown into the respective countries.
	It is not possible from current systems to break down the number of surrenders to the United Kingdom by nationality of the subject and therefore the number of British citizens surrendered cannot be provided. To do so would require a manual examination of all files and incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 (a) British Citizens extradited from the UK to EU member states 
			 Country 2004 2005 2006 2007 January to September 2008 October 2008 to March 2009 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 France (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 0 5 2 5 
			 Germany (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 0 2 7 3 
			 Poland (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 0 8 1 0 
			 Netherlands (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 2 2 5 6 
			 EU total 5 11 26 27 32 3 41 48 32 
			 (1 )No breakdown data available. 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) All Citizens extradited to the UK from EU member states 
			 Country 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 January to March 2009 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 France (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 6 14 7 
			 Germany (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 1 4 3 
			 Poland (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 5 3 5 
			 Netherlands (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 17 26 17 
			 EU total 19 63 76 99 96 23 71 134 86 
			 (1 )No breakdown data available.

Foreign Workers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average time taken by the Minister of State for Immigration to reply to representations by hon. Members on firms in their constituencies and the right to sponsor overseas employees.

Mark Harper: The information requested is not held in the format required and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration: Appeals

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the letter from the Minister for Immigration of 13 June 2011 regarding the number of appeals allowed by the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) on the basis of Article 3 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in the fourth quarter of 2010, how many such cases there were for July, August and September 2012 relating to (a) criminal casework (foreign national prisoners), (b) international group entry clearance, (c) special cases, (d) asylum appeals, (e) temporary migration, (f) permanent migration—settlement and (g) permanent migration—decisions under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006.

Mark Harper: holding answer 17 October 2012
	The United Kingdom Border Agency's Case Information Database is not used to record the specific reasons why an appeal is allowed and the new information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost through the examination of locally held management information and by examining individual files, computer records and appeal determinations.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals who have lived in the UK for more than three months without employment in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals who have settled in the UK with self-employed status in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking:
	i. for the number of non-UK EU nationals who have lived in the UK for more than three months without employment in each of the last five years. 123465
	ii. for the number of non-UK EU nationals who have settled in the UK with self-employed status in each of the last five years. 123466
	The Annual Population Survey provides estimates of unemployment based upon the International Labour Organization (ILO) measure; that is, those who are without a job and are actively seeking employment and available to start work. It also provides estimates of people who are economically inactive; that is, people who are without a job but do not satisfy the ILO criteria to be unemployed.
	The available information is provided in the table for the January-December twelve month period from 2008 to 2011; data prior to 2008 are not available. People who have settled are assumed to have lived in the UK for more than three months. The estimates are derived from the Annual Population Survey and are not seasonally adjusted. As with any sample survey, estimates from the Annual Population Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			 Number of non-UK EU nationals(1) who have lived in the UK for more than three months by economic status. Twelve months ending December 2008 to 2011. United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			 Thousand 
			   Currently unemployed or inactive 
			  Self-employed  Of which: those that have never been employed(2) 
			 2008 142 447 112 
			 2009 158 489 119 
			 2010 170 508 132 
			 2011 **203 *551 **146 
			 (1) People aged 16 and over. (2) This excludes casual and holiday jobs. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV – for example, for an estimate of 200 with, a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 = CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ? 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels mobile home sites etc.) Source: Annual Population Survey (APS)

Immigration: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of non-UK EU nationals who leave the UK within three months of entering the UK.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	.
	Estimates have been produced from two datasets;
	Firstly, the number of overseas travel and tourism visits to the UK of less than 12 months in duration which are completed in the reporting year, as measured by the International Passenger Survey (IPS) - these estimates are used to respond to questions a) and b);
	Secondly, the number of people migrating to the UK for 12 months or more (long-term international migration, LTIM) during the reporting year, based on the IPS plus adjustments - these estimates are used to respond to question b).
	The most recent year for which both sets of estimates are available is 2010.
	Estimates are as follows:
	a) The estimated number of completed visits of less than three months' duration to the UK by EU nationals, completed in 2010 is 17,702,000.
	b) The proportion of non-UK EU nationals' visits who left the UK within three months of entering the UK is estimated as 98.6 per cent of all travel to the UK by non-UK EU nationals. This includes both overseas travel and tourism visits to the UK by non-UK EU nationals completed in 2010 plus all inbound long term migration commencing in 2010.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals who have entered the UK to seek employment in each of the last five years by nationality.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of non-UK EU nationals who have entered the UK to seek employment in each of the last five years by nationality (123470).
	The Office for National Statistics produces estimates of Long-Term International Migration (LTIM), primarily based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS). The IPS is a continuous voluntary sample survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics.
	The table shows estimates for the years 2006 to 2010 of the number of non-UK EU citizens who stated that their main reason for migrating to the UK for twelve months or more was to look for work. These are the latest estimates available and were published on 24 November 2011. Estimates for 2011 will be published on 29 November 2012.
	Please note, these figures do not include non-UK EU citizens who migrated to the UK for less than 12 months. As the tables are large, they will be included in the House of Commons library.
	Confidence intervals (CIs) provide an estimated range within which the true value of a population is likely to fall. The confidence intervals in the table are 95 per cent confidence intervals; this means that this range is expected to contain the true value of the number of migrants around 95 per cent of the time. Caution should be exercised when using an estimate which has a large confidence interval.
	
		
			 Long-Term International Migration, estimates from international Passenger Survey Migration into the UK of EU citizens looking for work, 2006-10, United Kingdom 
			 Thousand 
			  2006-10 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Citizenship Estimate +/-CI Estimate +/-CI Estimate +/-CI Estimate +/-CI Estimate +/-CI Estimate +/-CI 
			 EU27 154 23 (1)— (1)— 32 12 29 11 29 7 35 9 
			              
			 EU25 143 22 28 11 (1)— (1)— (1)—  (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			              
			 Austria 0 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 0 0 (2)— (2)— 
			 Belgium 0 1 (2)— (2)— 0 1 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Cyprus 0 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 0 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Czech Republic 2 3 2 3 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 0 0 (2)— (2)— 
			 Denmark 0 1 0 0 (2)— (2)— 0 0 0 0 (2)— (2)— 
			 Estonia 2 4 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 0 0 2 4 
			 Finland 0 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 0 0 
			 France 3 2 1 1 (2)— (2)— 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Germany 6 4 0 0 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 
			 Greece 1 2 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 1 1 0 1 0 0 
			 Hungary 5 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 
			 Italy 11 4 1 1 1 2 3 2 3 1 2 2 
			 Latvia 6 3 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 2 2 1 1 2 2 
			 Lithuania 11 6 1 1 (2)— (2)— 0 0 4 3 6 5 
			 Luxembourg (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Malta 0 0 0 0 (2)— (2)— 0 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Netherlands 4 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 
			 Poland 65 17 18 10 20 10 10 8 7 3 11 5 
			 Portugal 6 4 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 0 1 
			 Republic of Ireland(3) 7 4 (4)— (4)— (4)— (4)— 2 2 2 2 2 1 
			 Slovakia 4 4 (2)— (2)— 2 3 (2)— (2)— 1 2 1 1 
			 Slovenia (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Spain 7 4 1 1 0 0 3 3 2 1 1 1 
			 Sweden 2 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 
		
	
	
		
			              
			 Bulgaria(5) 4 5 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 3 5 1 2 0 1 
			 Romania(5) 6 4 0 0 (2)— (2)— 2 3 2 2 2 2 
			 (1) Not applicable. (2) No contact. (3) Migration between the UK and the Republic of Ireland is included in IPS estimates for 2008 onwards but excluded for previous years. (4) Not available. (5) Bulgaria and Romania did not join the EU until 2007. They are included in the EU27 totals but not the EU25 totals. Notes: 1. All estimates in this spreadsheet are individually rounded to the nearest thousand. Totals may not add exactly due to this rounding. 2. Estimates are for those migrants who stated that looking for work was their main reason for migration. 3. This table uses 95% confidence intervals (CI) to indicate the robustness of each estimate. For any given estimate, there is a 95% probability that the true figure lies in the range: estimate +/- confidence interval. Users are advised to be cautious when making inferences from estimates with large confidence intervals. Source: Office for National Statistics

London Metropolitan University

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2012, Official Report, column 507W, on London Metropolitan University, what the required criteria are to acquire a tier 4 sponsor licence.

Mark Harper: London Metropolitan University will be eligible to apply for a new sponsor licence from 1 March 2013. The tier 4 sponsor licence criteria are lengthy and are published in separate guidance and annexes. The link to the published guidance on the UK Border Agency website is as follows:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pbsguidance

Overseas Students: Registration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  for what reasons overseas students are required to register with the Overseas Visitor Registration Office on arrival in the UK;
	(2)  on how many occasions between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011, and for what reasons, the UK Border Agency accessed data submitted by international students to the Overseas Visitor Registration Office;
	(3)  what use is made of the information provided by international students to the Overseas Visitor Registration Office;
	(4)  whether the UK Border Agency already holds the details submitted to the Overseas Visitor Registration Office by international students at the time that such students register on arrival in the UK;
	(5)  on what date the list of countries whose residents must register with the Overseas Visitor Registration Office when they arrive in the UK as international students was last updated.

Mark Harper: holding answer 18 October 2012
	The Police (Foreign Nationals) Registration Scheme was set out in regulations made in 1972. This scheme sets out a requirement for immigrants of specified nationalities, who are granted at least six months' leave to remain, to register with the police within seven days of their arrival in the UK. The scheme is not specific to students. The list of nationalities required to register is set out in appendix 2 to the Immigration Rules. This list was last amended in May 1998. In view of the passage of time since the scheme was last reviewed, my officials have been conducting a review of the scheme and I have asked them to report to me by April 2013.
	The UK Border Agency (UKBA) does not record the number of occasions that the information collected by the police is accessed. The review of the scheme is considering how this information is used and whether it could be better obtained by other means.
	Much of the information collected under the scheme is now available to UKBA.
	An example of information that is not collected by UKBA is the addresses of students. On arrival in the UK, students often have not yet been allocated an address by their educational institution so provide UKBA with the address at which they will be spending only their first night.

Procurement

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to monitor the payment (a) of its main contractors within 14 days and (b) by main contractors to sub-contractors within 30 days.

Mark Harper: Prompt payment for the Home Office's main contractors is measured and reported monthly against the prompt payment target of 80% set by Government for all Departments. The Home Office's performance for financial year 2012-13 is currently 85% of all valid invoices paid within the target of five days.
	The Home Office does not keep regular performance figures on payment by main contractors to sub-contractors within 30-days.
	Home Office standard terms and conditions include a term requesting contractors to pay their sub-contractors within 30-days of receipt of a valid invoice.
	As part of the Department's annual Corporate Assessment of Environmental, Social and Economic Regeneration (CAESER) questionnaire confirmation is sought from major strategic suppliers that they have a policy in place to ensure that suppliers are paid within 30-days.

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to prepare for the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

Mark Harper: The Home Office has in place a Commercial Policies and Procedures manual that is applicable to the Home Office and its agencies. The manual includes mandatory guidance on building Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into procurement procedures and the resulting contracts in line with government procurement policy.
	In support, the Department's Service Terms and Conditions reflect CSR requirements and these are kept under review to reflect the latest thinking. The Home Office also invites its top suppliers to complete a self-assessment tool on their CSR practices. The response rate to the latest questionnaire was 80%.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what external policy research her Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

Mark Harper: The available information requested that is held centrally is shown in the following tables, which identify the title, supplier and cost for each piece of research commissioned by the department during each of the last six financial years.
	
		
			 Table 1: Policy research commissioned by the Home Office, 2007-08 to 2012-13 
			  External policy commissioned Supplier Cost excl VAT (£) 
			 2012-13 Commercial Victimisation Survey 2012-15 TNS-BMRB 646,500.00 
			     
			 2011-12 DVPO Advisers University of Leicester 10,000.00 
			  Action Research on 101 Non Emergency Police Number Roll Out Ecorys 67,750.00 
			  Domestic Violence Protection Orders Evaluation London Metropolitan University 159,835.00 
			  Public perceptions of the crime and police mapping trailblazers PSI 61,808.00 
			  Criminal Careers With Organised Crime Lancaster University 60,398.00 
			  Cyber Crime Stock Take TSIP 35,202.00 
		
	
	
		
			  Family Returns Policy GVA Grimley 157,650.00 
			     
			 2010-11 Drug Data Warehouse The University of Manchester 81,220.38 
			  Drugs Advisory Panel The University of Manchester 8,078.00 
			  Impact of financial investigation on organised crime groups Evidence Led Solutions 119,550.00 
			  IOM/VCS Project Sheffield Hallam University 39,995.00 
			  MARAC review Cordis Bright 42,664.00 
			  ELAP Evaluation GVA 147,780.00 
			     
			 2009-10 Examining the social harms associated with Khat Independent Social Research 91,145.00 
			  Neighbourhood Policing—Exemplar Sites NatCen 234,361.50 
			  Links between homicide and organised crime: an exploratory study Matrix 99,794.00 
			  Evaluation of Serious Organised Crime Task Force Programme Evidence Led Solutions 185,375.00 
			  Khat Literature Review Professor D Anderson 8,360.00 
			  Early Leavers from the Police Force Institute of Employment Studies 64,000.00 
			  Engaged Communities SQW 49,925.00 
			  Offending and drug use interventions—creating a drug data warehouse Manchester University 100,931.00 
			  Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) on partnership working and its impact on reducing crime and antisocial behaviour Geoff Berry Associates 36,275.00 
			  Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) on partnership working and its impact on reducing crime and antisocial behaviour Geoff Berry Associates 17,900.00 
			  Review of the delivery of the YCAP in intensive areas ICPR 273,530.00 
			  Exploring public perceptions of confidence in the police and their local partners IPSOS Mori 87,775.00 
			  Stocktake paper on Organised Crime Mike Levi 9,350.00 
		
	
	
		
			  Partnership Peer Support Program (PPSS) Evaluation Perpetuity Research Consultancy International Ltd 15,825.00 
			  REA on rehab and re-integration of drug-using offenders University of Glamorgan 28,800.00 
			  Crimes future work The Futures Company 38,273.00 
			  Crimes future work Fast Futures 63,410.00 
			  A Rapid Evidence Assessment: What works in reducing alcohol related crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the night-time economy and in public spaced Geoff Berry Associates 25,745.00 
			  An update of a Systematic Review on the effects of alcohol price on alcohol-related crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour University of Sheffield 28,070.00 
			  Analysis of the Prolific and other Priority Offenders in the Drug Data Warehouse John Dobby 21,069.20 
			  Evaluation of Neighbourhood Agreements ERS 183,810.00 
			  Whitemoor prison report University of Cambridge 215,252.00 
			  De-radicalisation REA RAND Europe 56,985.00 
			  Vulnerability factors REA MATRIX 46,842.00 
			  Situational Action Framework vulnerability REA Jill Dando Institute 56,854.00 
			  CT legislation REA DSTL 58,810.00 
			  Channel process evaluation RUSI 146,000.00 
			  Difference and Displacement Smith Institute 70,000.00 
			  Study of key interventions into terrorism using Bayesian networks University of Warwick 21,608.00 
			  The cost of terrorism in Northern Ireland NIESR 49,693.00 
			  Credible Voices: Exploring perceptions of trust and credibility in Muslim communities EdComms n/a 
			     
			 2008-09 An Evaluation of 9 New Alcohol Arrest Referral Schemes and existing scheme in Gloucester KM Research and Consultancy 204,061.00 
		
	
	
		
			  TKAP Stakeholder Interviews King's College 30,405.00 
			  Longitudinal analysis of data from the Offending Crime and Justice Survey NatCen 6,181.00 
			  Evaluation of the Sunrise pilots-longitudinal analysis of the Survey of New Refugees NatCen 85,469.00 
			  Crime costs of a quality-adjusted life year 1 NERA Economic Consulting 18,382.00 
			  Resource to Quality Assure the Analysis of a Criminal Network (ERGM) Professor Tom Snijders 1,440.00 
			  Whole System Model HVR Consulting 68,636.60 
			  Crime costs of a quality-adjusted life year-2 Matrix 17,900.00 
			  Covert Social Movements Networks University of Manchester 49,175.00 
			     
			 2007-08 LA03 Final Report King's College London 35,016.00 
			  ISVA and IDVA Evaluation University of Cardiff 103,791.00 
			  Exploration of Regional Variation in Uptake of Powers used to Tackle Antisocial Behaviour Ipsos MORI 43,000.00 
			  An Evaluation of Alcohol Arrest Referral Schemes Risk Solutions 249,280.00 
			  Evaluation of neighbourhood policing: the experience of black and minority ethnic residents in the first year of implementation Independent Social Research 11,195.00 
			  Evaluation of Voluntary Assisted Return and Re-integration Programme (VARRP) 2005 Transparency Research Ltd 131,337.29 
			  Routes of Trafficking Matrix Knowledge Group 93,560.00 
			  Quality Assure the Crime Reduction Modelling Methodology HVR Consulting 15,000.00 
			  Big Picture Plant RED Scientific 20,000.00 
		
	
	
		
			  Quality Assurance of the Missing Data Project Garry Robbins 1,500.00 
			 n/a = Not available Notes: 1. Excluding the Government Equalities Office which was part of the Home Office from 2010 to 2012. These contracts will be included in the return for the Minister for Women and Equalities. 2. Excludes some sensitive contracts on security grounds. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Research commissioned from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). They are not directly related to HO policy but their findings fed into the evidence based MAC recommendations to the Home Office on migration policy 
			  External policy commissioned Supplier Cost (£) 
			 2011-12 Impacts of Migration on Crime and Victimisation LSE Consulting 24,700.00 
			  Impacts of Migration on Transport and Congestion RAND Europe 24,985.00 
			  Impacts of Migration on Housing and the Housing Market LSE Consulting 32,300.00 
			  Impacts of Migration on the Provision of Public services E-Policy 35,550.00 
			  Impacts of Migration on Social Cohesion and Integration Saggar & Somerville 25,000.00 
			  Impacts of Migration on Education and Health NIESR 50,560.00 
			     
			 2010-11 Impact of immigration on employers in selected occupations SQW Consulting 60,666.00 
			  Production technology, skills and migration SQW Consulting 60,775.00 
			  Long-term research to support updating of the Shortage Occupation List for Tier 2 of the Points Based System Economist Intelligence Unit 29,000.00 
			  ICT Case Studies UCL Consultants 7,500.00 
			  Refining the top down methodology to identify shortages in skilled occupations Frontier Economics Ltd 59,950.00 
			  Defining and measuring skill at the occupation and job-title level Frontier Economics Ltd 55,000.00 
			  Framework for economic CBA of various immigration policies EPolicy Ltd 66,150.00 
		
	
	
		
			  Can immigration constitute a sensible solution to sub-national and regional labour shortages EPolicy Ltd 59,300.00 
			     
			 2009-10 Impact of immigration on employers in selected occupations SQW Consulting 60,666.00 
			  Production technology, skills and migration SQW Consulting 60,775.00 
			  Long-term research to support updating of the Shortage Occupation List for Tier 2 of the Points Based System Economist Intelligence Unit 29,000.00 
			  ICT Case Studies UCL Consultants 7,500.00 
			  Refining the top down methodology to identify shortages in skilled occupations Frontier Economics Ltd 59,950.00 
			  Defining and measuring skill at the occupation and job-title level Frontier Economics Ltd 55,000.00 
			  Framework for economic CBA of various immigration policies EPolicy Ltd 66,150.00 
			  Can immigration constitute a sensible solution to sub-national and regional labour shortages EPolicy Ltd 59,300.00 
			     
			 2008-09 A review of labour shortages, skills shortages and skills gaps York Consulting 25,000.00 
			  Customised assessment and analysis of NESS data IFF Research 35,000.00 
			  Employer demand for migrant labour COMPAS 38,000.00

Reserve Forces

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reservists are employed by her Department.

Mark Harper: The Home Office does not keep a central record of the number of reservists employed. However, 42 Home Department employees had special leave for reservist activity in the financial year 2011-12.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Anti-slavery Day

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to mark Anti-slavery Day on 18 October.

Theresa Villiers: This is a matter for which I have no ministerial responsibility, but the Government observed the day with a ministerial visit to a school in Coulsdon to examine the issues faced by young people and the role of schools in tackling human trafficking.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what external policy research her Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

Michael Penning: No external policy research has been commissioned by my Department in the last six years.

PRIME MINISTER

Leveson Inquiry

Chris Bryant: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse has been of assessing whether (a) texts, (b) emails and (c) other forms of communication between himself and (i) Rebekah Brooks, (ii) Andy Coulson and (iii) News International since May 2010 should be provided to the Leveson Inquiry and made public;
	(2)  what criteria were used to determine whether (a) texts, (b) emails and (c) other forms of communication between himself and (i) Rebekah Brooks, (ii) Andy Coulson and (iii) News International should be (A) provided to the Leveson Inquiry and (B) made public;
	(3)  how many (a) texts, (b) emails and (c) other forms of communication between himself and (i) Rebekah Brooks, (ii) Andy Coulson, (iii) Rupert Murdoch and (iv) James Murdoch since May 2010 have not been provided to the Leveson Inquiry or put in the public domain;
	(4)  if he will publish all (a) texts, (b) emails and (c) other forms of communication between himself and Andy Coulson between 23 January 2011 and today;
	(5)  if he will publish all (a) texts, (b) emails and (c) details of any form of communication between himself and Rebekah Brooks since May 2010.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to my letter to the right hon. and learned Member for Camberwell and Peckham (Ms Harman), of 18 October 2012. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Members: Correspondence

Derek Twigg: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Halton (Derek Twigg) of 14 September 2012 in respect of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report.

David Cameron: A reply was sent by the Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green), on 15 October 2012.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Recycling

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what information he holds on how many local authorities generate income from the recycling of plastics and cardboard;
	(2)  what information he holds on how many local authorities receive no income from the recycling of plastics and cardboard;
	(3)  what information he holds on how much income each local authority receives from the recycling of plastics and cardboard.

Brandon Lewis: This information is not held centrally.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship;
	(2)  how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not currently have any apprentices working in the Department, but we are in the process of recruiting up to 10 apprentices who will be in post by mid-January 2013.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government currently has six paid interns working in the Department. All internship opportunities offered by the Department are advertised.

Bellwin Scheme

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have reported incidents to his Department under the Bellwin scheme in 2012; which such authorities have applied for financial assistance; which such authorities have exceeded the Bellwin threshold; and what funding is each such local authority entitled to receive.

Brandon Lewis: To date, in 2012, 20 local authorities have reported incidents to the Department for Bellwin scheme purposes. Of these, eight authorities have so far applied for financial assistance, with three reporting eligible costs above their Bellwin threshold. These claims have only recently been submitted and are currently being considered. Eligible costs below threshold may be taken into account for a future Bellwin scheme falling in the same financial year.
	
		
			 Bellwin scheme 2012 
			 Reported incidents Claims submitted Claims submitted exceeding threshold 
			 Calderdale Yes Yes 
			 Gateshead Yes Yes 
			 Herefordshire Yes Yes 
			 Dorset Yes — 
			 Durham Yes — 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Yes — 
			 North Tyneside Yes — 
			 South Tyneside Yes — 
			 Blackburn and Darwen — — 
			 Copeland — — 
			 Devon — — 
			 East Devon — — 
			 Harrogate — — 
			 Northumberland — — 
			 North Yorkshire — — 
			 Oldham — — 
			 Richmondshire — — 
			 Shropshire — — 
			 Wakefield — — 
			 York — —

Electric Cables

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the volume of counterfeit or falsely marked electrical cabling installed in Government buildings.

Don Foster: This information is not held by DCLG.

Housing

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the need to change the law relating to payments demanded as a result of covenanted properties that are (a) leasehold and (b) freehold.

Helen Grant: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	Where a landowner (A) in England and Wales is subject to an obligation to obtain the consent of another person (B) before altering A's property, the terms of the covenant will be set out in the land register, title deeds or lease. It is quite usual for the covenant to provide for B's consent not to be unreasonably withheld and for A to be obliged to reimburse costs reasonably incurred by B in the course of considering the application. These payments are separate from any obligation on A to pay a service charge. Subject to the terms of any relevant statute, the extent of A's obligations and B's rights will be defined by the express terms of the covenant. Disputes regarding the covenants can, if necessary, be resolved by the court.
	Examples of relevant statutes include: Schedule 11 to the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, which enables residential tenants (leaseholders) to challenge the reasonableness of administration charges in the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal and section 19(2) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, which gives landlords the right to recover legal or other expenses property incurred in connection with an application for licence or consent to carry out improvements to the tenanted property.
	The Government consider that the present law generally works satisfactorily and does not have any plans to change it. We will, however, keep the situation under review.

Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to commence section 34 of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The Department has no current plans to commence section 34 of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.
	It has been superceded for eligible authorities by the general power of competence in the Localism Act 2011.

Local Government Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the council tax freeze grant for 2013-14 will be additional to the currently allocated spending totals for local government or an allocation within the existing control total.

Brandon Lewis: As the Government's press notice of 8 October said, the Government will set aside an extra £450 million to help freeze council tax bills in England:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_89_12.htm
	This will be funded as part of the autumn statement package.

Non-domestic Rates

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on reimbursing councils for successful business rate appeals from 2012-13 when a decision on the appeal is made after the financial year 2013-14.

Brandon Lewis: The Government's proposals for business rates retention were set out in the publication “Business Rates Retention—technical consultation” in July 2012
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/businessratestechnical

Planning Permission

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make it his policy to protect existing buildings adjacent to proposed developments through the introduction of risk assessments and obligatory structural surveys of surrounding buildings as a condition of local planning approval.

Nicholas Boles: The Department has no plans to introduce risk assessments or obligatory structural surveys as a condition of planning approval.
	Notwithstanding, the Party Wall etc Act 1996 provides for consultation and regulation of works which affect an immediately adjoining building or structure. More information can be found online at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partywall

Reserve Forces

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many reservists are employed by his Department.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government is committed to supporting the Civil Service in becoming an exemplar employer of reservists. As a first step toward this the Department increased special leave provisions for reservist training from eight days to 10 with effect from 1 October 2012.
	The Department does not currently keep a central record of the number of reservists serving in the Department.

Sleeping Rough: Veterans

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people with an armed forces background were sleeping rough in (a) Denton and Reddish constituency and (b) Greater Manchester in each year since 2000; and what proportion of the total number of rough sleepers that figure represents in each such year.

Mark Prisk: The latest figures (2011-12) from CHAIN (Combined Homeless and Information Network), which covers London and contains detailed information on London's rough sleepers over the year, highlights that only 4% of rough sleepers from the UK have experience of serving in the armed forces.
	The Department publishes an annual headline figure on the number of people sleeping rough on a single night across England. This does not provide more detailed information such as whether they have served in the armed forces.
	We secured an additional £70 million last year to help local agencies prevent and tackle homelessness. This includes the £20 million Homelessness Transition Fund to support the national roll out of No Second Night Out, tackle rough sleeping and protect vital front line services and the £20 million Single Homelessness Prevention Fund to help ensure single homeless people get access to good housing advice.
	This is on top of the existing £10.8 million to help single people access private rented sector accommodation and the £400 million we are investing for homelessness prevention over four years (2011-12 to 2014-15).
	The Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness published its second report Making Every Contact Count in August which focuses on preventing homelessness and includes people leaving the armed forces. A copy of the report can be obtained at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/makingeverycontactcount
	We are determined to ensure that current and former members of the armed forces gain the housing they deserve, recognising the sacrifices they have made for the country. We have, therefore, introduced measures to place members of the armed forces at the top of the priority list for home ownership schemes, including FirstBuy.
	We published the final new statutory social allocations guidance on 29 June following consultation, setting out how councils' allocation schemes can give priority to all service personnel, including through the use of local preference criteria and local lettings policies.
	We are also changing the law by regulation so that former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given ‘additional preference' (high priority) for social housing; and councils are prevented from applying local connection requirements to disqualify members of the armed forces and those within five years of leaving the services. Following consultation, we are also extending these regulations to bereaved spouses and seriously injured reservists. The qualification regulations came into force on 24 August; the additional preference regulations were laid before Parliament on 18 October.

Social Rented Housing

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the potential savings to the Exchequer of removing access to social housing for households earning over (a) £30,000, (b) £40,000 and (c) £60,000 in each of the next three years; and how many people would be affected in each case.

Mark Prisk: We have no plans to remove access to social housing for existing social tenants, hence we will not be estimating the savings from such a policy.
	We have been consulting on whether high income tenants in social housing should continue to receive a taxpayer-subsidised rent. A copy of the consultation paper on high income social tenants can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/paytostayconsultation
	A response to the consultation paper will be published in due course, and any policy proposal down the line would be accompanied by an Impact Assessment. It would be premature to pre-empt the response to the consultation.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Housing

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's written evidence to the Defence Select Committee's inquiry into the Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 2: Accommodation, what progress the working group with the Department for Energy and Climate Change has made on the energy efficiency of service family accommodation.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has held a number of Working Group meetings with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), and although the Working Group has now concluded its business, both Departments will continue to liaise as and when required.
	The MOD has obtained funding under the carbon emissions reduction target (CERT) initiative to carry out an extensive programme of loft and cavity insulation works across the Service Family Accommodation (SFA) estate, providing new or improved insulation to 10,000 properties. Further work to improve insulation to the remaining properties will be carried out as part of the MOD's UK SFA improvement programme.
	The MOD is also taking forward works which falls within the scope of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) of the Green Deal. This will provide energy efficiency measures to hard-to-treat properties, and will be delivered as part of the UK SFA improvement programme.

Armed Forces: Religion

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of members of each (a) faith and (b) denomination in the (i) service and (ii) civilian branches of the armed forces.

Mark Francois: The following table contains the UK Regular armed forces strength by religion as at 1 July 2012:
	
		
			 Religion Denomination Naval service Army RAF All services 
			 Buddhist  40 440 40 520 
			       
			 Christian  27,520 88,310 30,840 146,670 
			  Baptist 150 440 220 810 
			  Christian 170 80 160 400 
			  Christian (unspecified) 2,700 7,540 1,320 11,560 
			  Church in Wales 90 1,210 250 1,550 
			  Church of England 17,560 53,400 20,840 91,800 
			  Church of Ireland 130 800 170 1,100 
			  Church of Scotland 1,510 5,700 2,080 9,280 
			  Congregational 10 20 30 60 
			  Eastern Orthodox — — — 10 
			  Free Church of Scotland 20 10 10 50 
			  Free Presbyterian 10 1,150 — 1,160 
			  Greek Orthodox 10 20 — 20 
			  Lutheran — 10 — 20 
			  Methodist 700 2,680 980 4,360 
			  Moravian — — — 10 
			  Orthodox — 50 10 70 
			  Other Christian 40 860 20 910 
		
	
	
		
			  Pentecostal 70 450 30 550 
			  Plymouth Brethren — — — 10 
			  Presbyterian 160 220 200 580 
			  Presbyterian Church in Ireland 20 580 80 670 
			  Presbyterian Church of Wales — 10 — 10 
			  Quaker (Society of Friends) — — — — 
			  Roman Catholic 4,090 12,730 4,320 21,140 
			  Russian Orthodox — — — — 
			  Salvation Army 20 80 30 130 
			  Scottish Episcopal Church 10 40 20 70 
			  Seventh Day Adventist 20 130 — 160 
			  United Free Church of Scotland — — — — 
			  United Reformed Church 30 70 70 170 
			       
			 Christian Tradition  80 110 60 250 
			  Christian Scientist 10 — 10 20 
			  Christian Tradition 20 10 20 50 
			  Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) 20 60 20 100 
			  Jehovah's Witness — — — — 
			  Other Christian Tradition 30 30 — 60 
			  Unitarian — — 10 10 
			       
			 Hindu  20 790 40 840 
			       
			 Judaism  10 60 10 80 
			       
			 Muslim  40 560 50 650 
			       
			 Sikh  10 100 20 140 
			       
			 Other religions  170 490 160 820 
			  Baha'i — 10 — 10 
			  Druid — — — 10 
			  Kirati — 30 — 30 
			  Other religions 120 250 100 480 
		
	
	
		
			  Pagan 20 60 40 110 
			  Rastafarian 10 100 — 110 
			  Spiritualist 10 30 10 50 
			  Wicca 10 10 — 20 
			  Zoroastrian (Parsee) — — — — 
			       
			 No religion  7,260 12,660 6,720 26,640 
			  Agnostic 390 3,330 660 4,380 
			  Atheist 1,090 6,550 1,420 9,070 
			  Humanist 20 50 30 100 
			  No religion 420 460 540 1,420 
			  No religion (unspecified) 5,220 2,070 3,990 11,290 
			  Other beliefs 100 190 70 360 
			  Secularist 10 10 — 20 
			       
			 Unknown  100 80 1,500 1,680 
			       
			 Total  35,250 103,590 39,440 178,280 
			 ‘—’ Denotes zero or figures rounded to zero. 
		
	
	This table does not include Gurkhas who have their own religious support, provided by Hindu and Buddhist religious teachers. All figures have been rounded where appropriate and may not exactly equal the sum of the parts.
	The faith of civilian personnel within the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is not recorded in an equivalent way to armed forces personnel and is only offered on a voluntary basis. The following table provides the strength of the MOD civilian work force by religion as at 1 July 2012:
	
		
			 Religion or belief Strength 
			 Christian 24,960 
			 Non Christian 1,800 
			 No religion 8,520 
			 Chose not to declare 9,130 
			 No response 7,870 
			 Total 52,280 
		
	
	Totals include all industrial and non-industrial personnel but exclude all trading funds, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and locally engaged civilians for whom declaration data are not available.

Defence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the UK's ability to adequately defend itself and take part in international deployments.

Andrew Murrison: Ensuring that the armed forces are structured, equipped and trained effectively in order to safeguard the UK's national security was at the heart of the National Security Strategy and the strategic defence and security review (SDSR) in 2010. The decisions taken in the SDSR are now being implemented, including a significant uplift in cyber and special forces support capabilities, the building of new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, the acquisition of fifth generation Joint Strike Fighters, the introduction into service of new Type-45 Destroyers and Astute-class submarines, an upgraded air transport fleet and a restructured Army. This affordable future force structure will enable the UK's armed forces to deploy highly capable assets rapidly across a wide range of environments, to operate effectively alongside partners and to deliver the military tasks set out in the SDSR 2010. The UK's ability to participate in international deployments was demonstrated during Libya operations in 2011 and continues to be proved in Afghanistan, where some 9,500 UK military personnel are currently contributing to coalition operations.

Libya: Military Intervention

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which NATO participating states participated in the campaign over Libya in response to UN Security Council Resolution 1973; and how many such states contributed an air component.

Andrew Robathan: Fourteen NATO Allies actively participated in the NATO-led operation in Libya—Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the USA. All of these, except Bulgaria and Romania, contributed to the air component.

Pay

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the highest paid position is in (a) his Department and (b) his Department's agencies.

Mark Francois: The details of senior salaries were released into the public domain under the Government's transparency agenda on 20 September 2012 and can be accessed at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/senior-civil-servants-high-earners-salaries

Prisoners of War: Medals

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to issue medals to all former prisoners of war.

Mark Francois: holding answer 17 October 2012
	There are no plans to introduce a specific medal for former prisoners of war. However, detainees may be eligible to receive the campaign medal for the operation or service they were undertaking prior to capture.

Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what media or public speaking training Ministers in his Department have received since May 2010.

Mark Francois: Training is available to Ministers on a range of issues, including handling the media, as part of their induction and continuing development in order to carry out their duties effectively under the Ministerial Code.
	The Ministry of Defence's internal media and communications training organisation has provided the following training sessions to Ministers since May 2010:
	24 June 2010—Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Mr Peter Luff
	24 May 2011—Under-Secretary of State Lord Astor of Hever

Woodvale Aerodrome

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a comprehensive risk assessment relating to base property and asbestos has been undertaken at Woodvale Aerodrome, Southport; and if he will make it available to hon. Members.

Mark Francois: A comprehensive risk assessment for asbestos has been undertaken at Woodvale. Copies of the Asbestos Management Plan, the current Asbestos Action Plan (Risk Assessment) and the Asbestos Register for Woodvale will be placed in the Library of the House.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Constituencies

Clive Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost has been of the review of constituency boundaries to date; what costs have been incurred under each category of costs; and what further costs are anticipated before the process is complete.

Chloe Smith: The four Boundary Commissions have spent approximately £5.8 million up to the end of August 2012 on the boundary review and related purposes. They expect to spend around £3.8 million from September 2012 to the end of the review. A significant portion of that sum has already been committed.
	I can provide the following breakdown of costs for each commission (all four Boundary Commissions incurred some expenditure on preparatory work prior to the formal commencement of the review on 4 March 2011, and expenditure up to the end of August 2012 includes some work not directly attributable to the Parliamentary Boundary Review):
	
		
			 Boundary Commission for England 
			 £ 
			 Category of expenditure Expenditure up to the end of August 2012) Projected expenditure from September to the end of the review 
			 Salaries, National Insurance and Commissioners' fees 2,455,264 926,994 
			 Travel and subsistence 36,704 10,846 
			 Public hearings (including venue hire, transcript service, Appointments Commission) 207,066 0 
			 GIS Software licences, technical support and mapping products 301,854 318,299 
			 Publicity 965,619 831,320 
			 Print services 60,469 216,000 
			 Administration and miscellaneous 86,083 163,530 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 4,113,059 2,466,989 
		
	
	
		
			 Boundary Commission for Wales 
			 £ 
			 Category of expenditure Expenditure up to the end of August 2012(1) Projected expenditure from September to the end of the review(2) 
			 Salaries, National Insurance and Commissioners' fees 331,355 303,600 
			 Travel and subsistence 10,960 11,690 
			 Public notices 75,221 45,000 
			 Printing 13,478 11,522 
			 Public hearings (including venue hire, transcript service, translation, Assistant Commissioners) 61,000 0 
			 Other Running Costs (including office, accommodation, IT, translation, training, postage, telecoms) 163,744 158,665 
			 Total 655,758 530,477 
			 (1) Some expenditure not directly attributable to the 2013 Review. (2) Forecast spend is an estimate only and some of this expenditure will not be directly attributable to the 2013 Review. Forecast figures may be different from estimates supplied earlier in 2012; this is due to more accurate figures being available as progress is made. 
		
	
	
		
			 Boundary Commission for Scotland 
			 £ 
			 Category of expenditure Expenditure up to the end of August 2012 Projected expenditure from September to the end of the review 
			 Staff salaries and Commissioner fees 280,840 212,327 
			 Accommodation 17,814 10,750 
			 Administration 24,657 25,760 
			 Mapping 78,050 60,700 
			 Travel and subsistence 1,488 2,747 
			 Review costs, which comprise:   
			 Public hearings 11,918 (1)124,621 
			 Consultation portal 41,157 (1)— 
			 Public notices and booklets 40,563 (1)— 
			 GIS training for political parties 3,279 (1)— 
			 Total 499,766 436,905 
			 (1) This figure is the total projected cost of the review for the period from September to the end of the review. 
		
	
	
		
			 Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland 
			 £ 
			 Category of expenditure Expenditure (rounded) up to the end of August 2012 Projected expenditure (rounded) from September to the end of the review 
			 Staff costs and professional services 346,000 226,000 
			 Commissioners' fees and expenses 45,000 21,000 
			 Accommodation 98,000 53,000 
			 Administration 28,000 7,000 
			 Other review costs 40,000 13,000 
			 Total 557,000 320,000

Social Mobility

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent progress he has made on the Government's social mobility strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Clegg: “Opening Doors. Breaking Barriers: A Strategy for Social Mobility—Update on Progress since April 2011” provided a comprehensive report on the progress the Government are making. This includes action on childcare, the pupil premium, summer schools, the Youth Contract and establishing a new Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission. Further details can be found at:
	http://www.dpm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/opening-doors-breaking-barriers-strategy-social-mobility

WALES

Broadband: Planning Permission

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on the relaxation of planning permission for broadband infrastructure.

David Jones: The relaxation of planning permission for broadband infrastructure in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Government. I have recently written to the First Minister asking him to consider similar measures in Wales.

Broadcasting

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues on the broadcasting industry in Wales.

David Jones: I met with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), on 17 October 2012 to discuss a range of issues, including the broadcasting industry in Wales.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what external policy research his Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; which organisation was commissioned to provide each such piece of research; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

David Jones: None.

Wylfa Power Station

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which countries have expressed an interest in financing Wylfa B nuclear power station.

Stephen Crabb: The Sale of Horizon Nuclear Power is a commercial matter for RWE npower and E.ON UK. The Government are therefore unable to provide this information.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Pollution

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the control of air pollution throughout the UK.

Richard Benyon: The Government have made a commitment to work towards full compliance with EU air quality standards. Air quality has improved significantly in recent decades; the UK now meets most EU air quality standards thanks to action taken by the Government over many years to reduce emissions, including from industrial, energy and transport sources. However, there are still more improvements to be made and we will continue to investigate new measures to improve air quality, working with external stakeholders in transport and other sectors. We work closely with local authorities and the Greater London Authority, which have responsibility for local air quality. We also support actions to reduce pollution through tackling congestion, promoting cycling and walking, and improving vehicle fleets.

Air Pollution

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial penalties the EU has imposed on the UK for breaches of air quality standards; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The UK has never been fined in relation to any infraction proceedings. We would always seek to work with the European Commission and relevant authorities to meet EU obligations and avoid infraction.

Animal Welfare

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what resources his Department has allocated to support efforts to prevent (a) badger-baiting and (b) cock-fighting.

Richard Benyon: Badger baiting and cockfighting are illegal activities. It is an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 to cruelly ill-treat a badger and it is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause or attempt to cause animal fighting. Enforcing these controls, and allocating the necessary resources, is a matter for the relevant authorities.
	DEFRA is committed to tackling wildlife crime and works hard to support law enforcement agencies in their work through the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime. The Partnership seeks to reduce wildlife crime through effective and targeted enforcement, better regulation and improved awareness.
	DEFRA also part funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit, which provides advice for law enforcers on wildlife crime matters and coordinates activity to tackle the current UK wildlife crime priorities.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of how many bovine tuberculosis tests have resulted in (a) false positives and (b) false negatives in each of the last three years.

David Heath: All TB reactors are regarded as infected and European and national legislation require all such animals to be slaughtered in order to eliminate risk of infection to other animals. There are no figures for false positive and false negative TB tests detected in each of the last three years. However, it is known that the TB skin test detects 80% of infected cattle giving a 20% false negative probability. When the skin test is applied to non-infected cattle, it has a specificity of 99.9% giving a 0.1% false positive probability.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that as few badgers as possible are shot on top of, or near their setts.

David Heath: Culling will be conducted by trained and proficient operators who are already experienced in shooting for wildlife control. All operators will be required to attend a specific Government approved training course. Badgers must not be shot within 30 metres of a sett to prevent wounded badgers seeking refuge before a follow up shot is taken. All operators will adhere to Best Practice Guidance issued by DEFRA and Natural England.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what monitoring arrangements his Department is putting in place to ensure that badgers killed during the cull are killed humanely.

David Heath: To ensure an acceptable level of humaneness, operators will be required to follow Best Practice Guidelines, and undertake training and competence testing. Independent monitoring will be undertaken to assess the humaneness of controlled shooting during the pilots. The development of the monitoring protocols has been overseen by the panel of independent experts. The monitoring will include field observations and post mortems.

Carbon Emissions: Business

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the extent of business support for mandatory carbon reporting for (a) companies listed on the Alternative Investment Market and (b) all bodies subject to the Companies Act 2006.

Richard Benyon: Last year's consultation assessed the level of business support for mandatory carbon reporting and was a key consideration when deciding on its introduction. An evaluation of the policy will be undertaken in 2015, as explained in the previous Secretary of State's written statement to Parliament on 20 June, Official Report, columns 59-60, before a decision is taken on whether to extend the reporting requirement to all large companies in 2016. Large companies are defined in the Companies Act 2006 using measures of employment, gross assets and turnover, and this applies to both public and private companies.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who his Department (a) has and (b) plans to consult on its supplementary guidance for mandatory greenhouse gas reporting.

David Heath: Officials are currently engaging with a number of companies and trade associations to understand where supplementary guidance would be useful. We will consult informally on guidance with companies affected by the proposed regulation.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he plans to specify which methodologies will be permitted in measuring greenhouse gas emissions.

David Heath: I plan to specify a number of established methodologies for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions in supplementary guidance.

Natural Resources

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress the Circular Economy Task Force has made on resource security.

David Heath: The Resource Security Action Plan was published by DEFRA and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in March this year. It sets out actions by the Government, businesses and non-governmental organisations to make the most of valuable resources, save money and address resource risks through improved resource efficiency, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling to help transition to a more circular economy.
	A key part of the action plan was the convening of a business task force, supported by the Government, and the Circular Economy Task Force was formally launched on 4 July. Co-ordinated by the Green Alliance, it seeks to understand how circular business models can be developed in a way that keeps companies profitable, and how the policy landscape can help foster a circular, resource-secure economy.
	The task force is currently working with the Green Alliance to develop the analytical underpinning for a report to be launched in summer 2013. Latest developments are posted on the Green Alliance's website.

Organic Food: Meat

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason butchers are required to register with organic control bodies in order to sell organic meat; which bodies they are required to register with to sell non-organic meat; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: Organic food within the European Union is regulated by European legislation that includes rules member states must follow in relation to its production, labelling and control. This requires that organic operators, including butchers, are certified and inspected at least once a year. In the UK, certification is carried out by DEFRA-approved organic control bodies. A list of these is available at:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/growing/organic/documents/organic-control-bodies-list.pdf
	All food businesses, including butchers, are required to register with the relevant local authority under food hygiene regulations before they start to operate. Registration under these regulations does not differentiate between organic or inorganic food or meat.

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA is currently doing a thorough review of all its templates and processes to ensure they comply with the full range of legislative and policy requirements.
	The Cabinet Office will be issuing advice soon to procurers and commissioners to advise them of the duties the Public Services (Social Value) Act will place upon them. We will review our own arrangements again in the light of that guidance.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what external policy research his Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

Richard Benyon: Details of all of core DEFRA's research contracts can be found on the “Science Search” website at:
	http://randd.defra.gov.uk/
	The website's database holds details on project costs, description, objectives and contractor information for over 12,000 completed and active projects. It also includes links to published reports.

Schmallenberg Virus

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the development and deployment of a vaccination for Schmallenberg virus; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: DEFRA officials are aware of the development of commercial vaccines against Schmallenberg virus and that a submission has been made to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for approval. Deployment of the vaccine will be a decision for the farmer and livestock keeper to take in consultation with his/her private veterinarian, considering the management of that flock/herd.
	Given the widespread prevalence of the Schmallenberg virus, the apparent acquired immunity and the low impact of the disease, it is possible there will be little cost benefit to vaccinating flocks and herds every year.

Seagulls

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the size of the seagull population in the UK; and what estimate has been made of the cost to local authorities of its population growth.

Richard Benyon: The species of gull we have in the UK are: Mediterranean gull, black-headed gull, common gull, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, greater black-backed gull and yellow legged gull.
	The last full gull census was “Seabird 2000” in 1998-2002, which covered coastal and inland colonies of both rural and urban environments. The population estimates (coastal and inland population combined) were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Mediterranean gull 108 
			 Black-headed gull 82,728 
			 Common gull (a.k.a Mew gull) 44 
			 Lesser black-backed gull 64,208 
			 Herring gull 45,365 
			 Great black-backed gull 1476 
		
	
	Yellow-legged gulls are very rare in the UK and were not included in the Seabird 2000 census. The Rare Breeding Birds Panel 2010 report estimates UK breeding population as 1-2 pairs.
	Seabird 2000 was the third national census to be carried out, each at around 15 year intervals (Operation Seafarer in 1969-70 and Seabird Colony Register in 1985-88) with the next seabird census planned for 2014-15.
	We have made no estimate of the cost to local authorities of gulls.

Shrimps

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of how the invasive shrimp, Dikerogammarus villosus, was imported into the UK;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the environment of the spread within the UK of the invasive shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to control the spread within the UK of the invasive shrimp, Dikerogammarus villosus.

Richard Benyon: The four locations in which Dikerogammarus villosus has been recorded are all used for various types of water sports (including angling) so it is possible that the shrimp was introduced among wet equipment (e.g. boats, wet-suits, nets) that had been used previously in mainland Europe where the shrimp occurs.
	A risk assessment for Dikerogammarus villosus commissioned by DEFRA, concluded that the risk from this species is very high. This is based on the fact that the ecological impacts experienced in areas of Europe that the shrimp has colonised have been very large and dramatic; the species has already established large viable populations here; that Britain is climatically similar to many of the places in Europe that the shrimp has invaded; and that the interconnectivity of the water network will facilitate rapid spread.
	At the four locations where Dikerogammarus villosus has been recorded, the routes by which the shrimp might escape from the sites have been assessed and a range of control measures have been put in place. Additionally, in partnership with a number of interested organisations, DEFRA is trying to slow the spread of Dikerogammarus villosus by ensuring that all equipment and clothing that is used in water sports is checked, cleaned and dried before it is used elsewhere. Information on the “Check, Clean, Dry” campaign and associated guidance is published on the Non-native Species Secretariat website.

Trees: Import Controls

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to prohibit the importation of ash trees to prevent the spread of disease.

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what consideration his Department is giving to prohibiting the import of young ash trees from countries where the fungus Chalara fraxinea is known to exist;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to prevent the fungus Chalara fraxinea from entering the UK.

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to temporarily ban the import of ash trees.

David Heath: The Government are taking the threat posed by Chalara fraxinea extremely seriously.
	Officials from the Forestry Commission and the Food and Environment Research Agency are working together to protect the UK's ash trees in response to the UK findings of ash dieback caused by Chalara fraxinea.
	The Plant Health Authorities are following up findings. Trees found to be infected are destroyed and those in the vicinity of infected sites are also being monitored by the Plant Health Authority to check for the presence of the disease. Inspections of nurseries growing and trading ash plants as well as monitoring of the wider environment are taking place. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), recently confirmed our intention to introduce a ban on ash imports and movements, if this was supported by the outcome of the current consultation on the Pest Risk Assessment for this disease and the results of the surveillance being carried out. The consultation will close on 26 October. A ban could then come into force before the main planting season gets under way in November. In the meantime, we will continue to act on a precautionary basis against any further findings.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Housing Benefit: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of housing benefit under the age of 25 years (a) have children, (b) are orphans, (c) are care leavers and (d) have parents in prison.

Steve Webb: Information on the number of housing benefit recipients who are orphans, care leavers or who have parents in prison are not collected on the housing benefit data source (SHBE). The information that is available for those aged under 25 years by family type is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Housing benefit recipients under the age of 25 by family type, May 2012 
			 Family type Total Male Female 
			 All under 25s 383,650 — — 
			 Single:    
			 No child dependent 164,810 89,150 74,630 
			 With child dependent(s) 171,690 1,700 168,960 
			 Couple:    
			 No child dependent 14,550 — — 
			 With child dependent(s) 32,610 — — 
			 Notes: 1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest ten. 2. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data is available monthly from November 2008 and May 2012 is the latest available. 3. Age groups are based on the age on the count date (second Thursday in the month), of either: (a) the recipient if they are single, or (b) the elder of the recipient or partner if claiming as a couple 4. Components may not sum to total due to (i) independent rounding (ii) exclusion of claimants with unknown age. 5. This information is published on the Department's website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?paae=hbctb Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE)

Industrial Health and Safety

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's target is for consolidating or revoking health and safety regulations.

Mark Hoban: Professor Lofstedt in his independent review of health and safety legislation recommended that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) undertake a programme of sector-specific consolidations and revocations of regulations in order to simplify the regulatory framework, reduce duplication and avoid gold plating. The Government have not, however, set a target for consolidating or revoking health and safety regulations.

Social Security Benefits: Uprating

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the potential savings to the Exchequer of uprating (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) attendance allowance, (c) carer's allowance, (d) disability living allowance and (e) employment and support allowance in line with wage growth rather than CPI in each of the next three years; and how many people would be affected by such a measure in each year.

Steve Webb: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), has yet to commence his review of benefit rates for 2013-14, following the publication of the relevant inflation indices. Decisions on these will be taken in due course.
	Potential savings and costs based on the latest Consumer Price Index and earnings growth figures for uprating in 2013/14, combined with Budget 2012 forecasts, are given in the following table. Forecasts of inflation and earnings growth for future years consistent with the latest CPI and earnings figures will not be available until the Office for Budget Responsibility publishes its Economic and Fiscal Outlook in December.
	
		
			 Impact on expenditure if uprated by earnings 
			 £ million 
			  2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 
			 Jobseeker's allowance -40 30 150 
			 Attendance allowance -30 30 200 
			 Carer's allowance -10 10 70 
			 Disability living allowance -80 70 460 
			 Employment and support allowance -50 60 350 
			 Notes: 1. The expenditure estimates in the table are rounded to the nearest £10 million. 2. 2013/14 estimates are based on the relevant Consumer Prices Index increase of 2.2% in the year to September 2012, and revised Average Weekly Earnings increase of 1.6% in the year to the three months ending July 2012 (provisional August figures are also available but are not used here). These were published on 16 and 17 October 2012. 3. 2014/15 and 2015/16 estimates are based on the latest published Office for Budget Responsibility inflation and earnings projections from their March 2012 Economic and fiscal outlook. Specifically: CPI—2014/15=1.9% CPI—2015/16=1.9% AWE—2014/15=3.0% AWE—2015/16=4.4% 
		
	
	All claimants receiving payments of the above benefits would be affected by any changes to uprating. Forecast caseloads for each of the listed benefits are available in Table 1 c of “Benefit expenditure and caseload forecasts” on the Department for Work and Pensions website at:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=medium_term

Unemployment Benefits: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many school leavers began immediately to claim out-of-work benefits in each of the last three years; and what the total value of those benefits was in each year.

Mark Hoban: The information requested is not available.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2012, Official Report, column 65-7W, on work capability assessment: appeals, which Tribunal Service centres (a) currently operate a six-day week to hear appeals against the work capability assessment (WCA) and (b) are planning to operate a six-day week to hear appeals against the WCA.

Helen Grant: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	HMCTS has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in appeal cases received by the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS). It is working hard to increase the capacity of the SSCS Tribunal and reduce waiting times. The SSCS Tribunal disposed of 433,600 appeals in 2011-12. This is a 14% increase in output when compared to 2010-11 (380,200) and 56% more than 2009-10 (279,300).
	All SSCS hearing venues hear appeals on the range of benefit types, including ESA. Saturday sittings are used on a flexible basis in a number of hearing venues to meet particular increases in demand for hearings. Appellants are asked before their case is listed if there are any days of the week, from Monday to Saturday, when they would be unable to attend a hearing.
	(a) The following hearing venues are currently running Saturday sittings: Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Darlington, Basildon, Enfield, London (Fox Court and Anchorage House), Bedford, Nottingham, Sutton, Bexleyheath and Cardiff.
	(b) The Liverpool hearing venue will run sittings on Saturdays from November 2012. Saturday sittings have also previously been held in Wrexham, Langstone, Plymouth, Dundee, Hamilton, Wolverhampton, Leicester and Derby.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were employed by the Tribunals Service to deal with appeals against the work capability assessment in each month of 2012 to date.

Helen Grant: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	It is not possible to identify how many staff deal specifically with ESA appeals. The following table shows the number of administrative staff employed in relation to the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal as at the end of each month between January and September 2012 (the latest date for which figures have been published). The Tribunal hears appeals on a range of benefits, of which ESA is one.
	Of the 994 staff in post as at 30 September 2012, 886 were permanent staff and 108 staff were on fixed term contracts. A number of efficiency improvements have been made and continue to be made in the SSCS Tribunal. These enable each member of staff to process more cases.
	
		
			 Social Security and Child Support Tribunal staff numbers, January to September 2012 
			  Number of staff(1) 
			 January 1,002 
			 February 996 
			 March 1,010 
			 April 996 
			 May (2)996 
			 June 1,001 
			 July 1,007 
			 August 1,007 
			 September 994 
			 (1) The data are taken from management information. The figures quoted refer to the total number of people employed and includes those who work part-time or on a full-time basis and on temporary or fixed-term contacts. Some of the staff included may work in multi-jurisdictional centres dealing with other work as well as SSCS appeals. Equally some staff working in multi-jurisdictional centres who deal with SSCS appeals may not be included. (2) This figure is different from the figure of 988 given in answer to PQ 115318 on 9 July 2012. The reason for this is that staff have been moved retrospectively into a different budget code.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason his Department informed providers of an additional 33,000 referrals of employment and support allowance claimants to the Work programme over the three-month period from September 2012; and whether he expects these additional referrals to be made.

Mark Hoban: The Department wrote to Work programme providers in August to announce that, responding to the lower than expected number of employment and support allowance claimants being referred to the Work programme, the Department has taken steps to increase the number of ESA claimants who have mandatory access to the Work programme. In September, the Department began to mandate ESA claimants who had a three or six month work capability assessment prognosis, and who had previously received support from Pathways to Work. The Department believes that the time is now right to provide these claimants with the personalised and intensive support that Work programme providers can offer.
	In August 2012, the letter sent to Work programme providers said this:
	“In November 2011, the Department identified 33,000 ESA claimants nationally who belong to this group. Whilst this number is now likely to be lower, over the next few weeks we are undertaking a new scan to identify current volumes of eligible claimants by Contract Package Area. This information will be shared with providers as soon as it becomes available—we will be in touch shortly to confirm when we think this can be done.”
	When a repeat scan of our records took place in September, we identified 29,500 claimants who had previously received Pathways to Work support. Jobcentre Plus is now working through this list of claimants to ensure that claimants are only referred if it is appropriate to do so. The total number of claimants referred from this list is therefore likely to be lower than 29,500.
	Referrals to the Work programme are part of Official Statistics and will be released in due course.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the number of jobseeker's allowance claimants referred each month from jobcentres to the Work programme has declined over the last year.

Mark Hoban: Jobseeker's allowance referrals have declined over the last year, but this is against a backdrop of much higher than anticipated JSA volumes in year one. The additional year one numbers were largely due to the transition from the Flexible New Deal and increased numbers of mandatory early entry claimants. It remains the case that overall jobseeker's allowance volumes are higher than those published during the bidding process.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many officials working on the Work programme have left to work for Work programme providers since October 2010.

Mark Hoban: Business appointment applications have been received in respect of three officials connected to the Work programme, one of whom subsequently did not take up an appointment with the provider. In each case, the Department restricts the individual's subsequent activity, consistent with the business appointment rules.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many (a) schools and (b) clinics have been financed and constructed by the UK Government in Helmand Province in Afghanistan; how many such schools and clinics (i) have been closed and (ii) she expects to close; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the Government of Afghanistan on identifying future sources of funding for schools and clinics in Helmand Province; and if she will make a statement. [Official Report, 21 November 2012, Vol. 553, c. 5MC.]

Alan Duncan: UK funding through the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) has built 11 health clinics and seven schools since 2007, with two of each currently under construction. The Helmand provincial education and health departments are responsible for the future of these facilities. They have stated that all are open and active and that they intend to maintain these services in the future.
	The UK-led PRT is in regular contact with the Afghan Government, in Helmand and Kabul, to ensure that adequate funding is provided for future operation and maintenance of these services.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many internally displaced people there are in Arakan State, Burma; and what proportion of such displaced people are (a) Rakhine and (b) Rohingya.

Alan Duncan: According to the latest United Nations figures there are around 75,000 internally displaced people in Arakan State of whom around 70,000 are Rohingya and around 5,000 are Rakhine.

Burma

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she discussed aid to refugees from Burma at her recent meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi.

Alan Duncan: Since becoming Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) has yet to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burma

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what involvement her Department has had in the Millennium Development Goals fund for Burma.

Alan Duncan: The 3MDG Fund (Millennium Development Goals fund), which was launched on 25 September as the successor to the Three Diseases Fund, will provide support for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services, as well as for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria services. DFID will provide £40 million for the 3MDG Fund's first two financial years (2012 to 2014) and up to an additional £40 million up to 2016. DFID is represented on the board of the 3MDG Fund.

Burma

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of aid delivered by her Department to Burma is channelled through (a) UN agencies, (b) international aid agencies and (c) local community-based organisations.

Alan Duncan: In 2011-12 approximately 70% of UK aid to Burma was channelled through UN organisations, 25% through international aid agencies and 5% directly through local community-based organisations. A significant proportion of funds channelled through the UN and international aid agencies are in turn channelled to local community-based organisations to deliver results.

Burma

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role the Government is playing in the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative.

Alan Duncan: As part of the Donor Support Group, the UK works closely with key stakeholders on the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative's (MPSI) structure and operations. Through DFID, the UK has pledged up to £3 million to support the MPSI, subject to the need for funds and the results that can be achieved.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to ensure that UK international development programmes implemented in Burma comply with the 2008 UN Development Group Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples' Issues.

Alan Duncan: The 2008 UN Development Group Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples' Issues apply to the UN system. The UN in Burma applies these guidelines in its strategy and programming. DFID is committed to ensuring the needs and views of indigenous peoples are fully taken into account in its programming in Burma.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she has taken to ensure that UK international development aid is not channelled through the Burmese Government's Ministry for Border Affairs.

Alan Duncan: No UK aid is provided through Burma's central Government. UK aid to Burma is provided through United Nations organisations, trusted international and local non-government organisations and, where circumstances allow, at local government township level. Strict spending controls are in place to ensure that UK funding is properly channelled and accounted for.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has allocated to development aid in Burma in 2013; what percentage of this has been allocated to Chin State; and what the aid programme priorities are in Chin State.

Alan Duncan: The current allocation for development aid in Burma through DFID is £40 million in 2012-13 and £55 million in 2013-14. DFID support in Chin State is channelled through our contributions to two major multidonor Trust Funds, which work across the whole of Burma, including Chin State. These are, firstly, the Three Millennium Development Goals (3 MDG) Fund, which when operational later this year will provide support for health and is the successor to the 3 Diseases Fund, also active in Chin State. Secondly, the UK is providing support through the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) which has been implementing livelihoods and food security programmes in Chin since 2011. A precise percentage breakdown of development aid to Chin State in 2013 is not available.

Burma

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to support refugees in western Burma.

Alan Duncan: The UK has provided humanitarian support to refugees in western Burma through DFID's core contributions to the United Nations and the European Union. We have called on all sides—including through several ministerial statements—to end the violence in Rakhine State, grant full humanitarian access to affected areas and build a process of reconciliation among the communities.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what external policy research her Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

Lynne Featherstone: We are unable to answer this question comprehensively without incurring disproportionate costs. A strong evidence base in development is essential as value for money and optimal impact starts with an understanding of what works. We commission research in agriculture, health, education, growth, climate and the environment, governance, conflict and social development and in cross cutting issues such as urbanisation. The amount spent on centrally commissioned research over the last six years by the Department for International Development (DFID) is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2006-07 110 
			 2007-08 130 
			 2008-09 125 
			 2009-10 177 
			 2010-11 203 
			 2011-12 222 
		
	
	The commissioning of research is largely undertaken directly by competitive tendering. However DFID also commissions research through indirect partnering with other organisations such as the United Kingdom Research Councils who manage a competitive process of research calls on our behalf.
	The main sources of information that can give more precise details relating to this request are as follows:
	ResearchforDevelopment (R4D) is an online portal containing details of research funded by DFID over the last 10 years, in over 30,000 project and document records. You can search the site in many different ways, including by project start and end date. The database also includes details of project spend and the organisations from which research is commissioned:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/R4D/Default.aspx
	DFID's projects database contains summaries of each project DFID funds, including research ones. You can search the database in many different ways, including by start date, and by DFID Department, including Research and Evidence Division. The database includes details of project spend by financial year:
	http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/
	DFID Research Report 2009-10 which describes projects that DFID was funding at that time:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Publications/rsrch-rpt-09-10.pdf

JUSTICE

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) men and (b) women have been imprisoned for breaching antisocial behaviour orders in each police force area; and how many such people have been the (i) victim or (ii) perpetrator of domestic violence.

Helen Grant: The number of males and females who received an immediate custodial sentence for breach of an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) in each police force area in England and Wales in 2011 (latest currently available) can be viewed in the table.
	Data on breaches of ASBOs held centrally on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database do not include information about all the circumstances behind each case other than those which may be identified from a statute. Therefore, from these data, it is not possible to separately identify cases where an offence of breach of an ASBO occurred in which the offender was either a perpetrator or victim of domestic violence from those cases where they were not.
	
		
			 Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) proven in court to have been breached(1) where the breach resulted in a sentence of immediate custody, in each police force area(2) in England and Wales in 2011(3) 
			  ASBOs breached resulting in custody 
			 Police force area Males Females 
			 Avon and Somerset 16 1 
			 Bedfordshire 2 — 
			 Cambridgeshire 5 1 
			 Cheshire 4 2 
			 Cleveland 17 1 
			 Cumbria 14 2 
			 Derbyshire 8 — 
			 Devon and Cornwall 13 1 
			 Dorset 11 — 
			 Durham 3 1 
			 Dyfed Powys — — 
			 Essex 4 — 
			 Gloucestershire 6 — 
			 Greater London 75 4 
			 Greater Manchester 35 6 
			 Gwent 9 1 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 18 3 
			 Hertfordshire 5 — 
			 Humberside 43 1 
			 Kent 6 2 
			 Lancashire 15 1 
			 Leicestershire 6 1 
			 Lincolnshire 2 — 
			 Merseyside 46 6 
			 Norfolk 14 1 
			 North Wales 13 4 
			 North Yorkshire 14 — 
			 Northamptonshire 8 3 
			 Northumbria 12 2 
			 Nottinghamshire 16 5 
			 South Wales 23 3 
			 South Yorkshire 8 5 
			 Staffordshire 5 — 
			 Suffolk 5 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Surrey 4 3 
			 Sussex 16 1 
			 Thames Valley 26 — 
			 Warwickshire 1 1 
			 West Mercia 23 1 
			 West Midlands 36 6 
			 West Yorkshire 50 5 
			 Wiltshire 1 — 
			 England and Wales 638 74 
			 (1) In this table ASB0 breaches are counted on the occasion on which the severest penalty for breach of an ASBO was received. (2) ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another ASBOs breached are counted baaed on the police force area in which the court at which the breach was proven is located; this may be different to the area in which the court that issued the ASBO is located (3) Many of these breached ASBOs will have been issued in years prior to 2011. Note: ASBO breach data are compiled by matching records of ASBOs issued with ASBOs breached. The nature of this matching process means that previously published ASBO breach data are subject to minor revision. Every effort is made lo ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.

Jeremy Wright: For the period 1 April 2012 to 1 October 2012 the Ministry of Justice has enrolled 408 members of staff on apprenticeships. Additionally there is one directly recruited apprentice. All are paid members of staff. It is a condition of any new apprenticeship recruitment that we provide training so all our new recruits and those completing ‘up skilling’ are completing qualifications as part of the apprenticeship.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Jeremy Wright: For the period 1 April 2012 to 1 October 2012 the Ministry of Justice has enrolled 408 members of staff on apprenticeships. Additionally there is one directly recruited apprentice. All are paid members of staff. Records are not held centrally of the number of paid internships and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It is planned that a system for recording paid internship details will be in place from 1 January 2013. The Ministry, as part of the Whitehall Summer Diversity Internship Programme, provided eight paid internships in 2012.

Bail

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on bail for a defendant charged with a summary only imprisonable offence where such a defendant has in previous unrelated proceedings failed to surrender and where there is a reasonable belief they may fail to surrender again if released on bail.

Damian Green: Decisions on bail are for the courts to determine in accordance with the statutory framework set out in legislation. The courts currently have discretion to refuse bail where a defendant charged with a summary imprisonable offence has failed to surrender in previous unrelated proceedings and it appears to the court that he or she may fail to surrender again if released on bail.
	That discretion will be qualified when amendments to the Bail Act 1976 in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 come into effect. Schedule 11 to the 2012 Act, which will be brought into force before the end of this year, removes the option of remanding defendants in custody where it is apparent that there is no real prospect of their receiving a custodial sentence if convicted. Where defendants bailed to appear for trial in a magistrates court fail to turn up, there is a presumption that the court will proceed in their absence.

Burglary

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the 12-month reconviction rate was for each type of sentence for those found guilty of domestic burglary in each year since 1994;
	(2)  what the average number of reconvictions per offender was of those found guilty of domestic burglary in each year since 1994;
	(3)  how many people found guilty of committing burglary went on to commit (a) no more crimes, (b) between one and five crimes, (c) between six and 10 crimes, (d) between 11 and 20 crimes and (e) more than 20 crimes in each year since 1994;
	(4)  what the 12-month reconviction rate was of those found guilty of domestic burglary in each year since 1994.

Helen Grant: Table 1 presents the number of adult (aged 18 or over) and juvenile (aged 10 to 17) offenders in England and Wales released from custody, receiving a non-custodial conviction at court, caution reprimand or warning in each of the years 2000, 2002 to 2009 (the latest calendar year available) after being found guilty of domestic burglary. Also presented are the proven re-offending rates (i.e. the proportion of the offenders found guilty of domestic burglary who re-offended in a one year follow up period) and the average number of re-offences per offender.
	2000 is the earliest year for which proven re-offending data exist on a comparable basis and data are not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on Court Orders. Data for 2010 will be published on 25 October 2012.
	Table 2 is a further breakdown of table 1 showing re-offending rates by the type of sentence received by those found guilty of domestic burglary. Re-offending rates by sentence type should not be compared to assess the effectiveness of sentences, as there is no control for known differences in offender characteristics.
	It is not possible to provide a breakdown of all re-offences committed by these offenders to date because re-offending data are based on a one year follow up period. However, for your information, Table 3 presents those offenders found guilty of burglary which includes domestic and other burglary offences and the number of re-offences they committed in a one-year follow-up period.
	Proven re-offending is defined as any offence committed in a one-year follow-up period and receiving a court conviction, caution, reprimand or warning in the one- year follow-up period or a further six month waiting period to allow cases to progress through the courts.
	
		
			 Table 1: Proven re-offending rates of offenders found guilty of domestic burglary 
			  2000 2002 2003 2004 200S 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 Adult offenders          
			 Proportion of offenders who re-offend (%) 58.0 58.5 55.0 52.5 50.0 48.0 49.1 50.6 47.4 
			 Average number of re-offences per offender (frequency rate) 2.37 2.40 2.09 1.94 1.73 1.50 1.62 1.60 1.43 
			 Number of offenders in cohort 8,091 7,455 7,686 7,125 6,819 6,784 7.309 7,594 7,248 
			           
			 Juvenile offenders          
			 Proportion of offenders who re-offend (%) 47.1 46.8 47.7 47.6 47.1 48.4 46.0 49.1 49.9 
			 Average number of re-offences per offender {frequency rate) 1.88 1.82 1.82 1.73 1.66 1.74 1.67 1.71 1.67 
			 Number of offenders in cohort 3,620 3,268 3,106 3,124 3,266 3,333 3,209 2,817 2,776 
			 Note: Data is not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on Court Orders. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Proven re-offending rates of offenders found guilty of domestic burglary by type of sentence received 
			  Index disposal 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 Adults Absolute discharge (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			  Caution 22.4 21.6 27.1 23.2 26.3 26.2 27.6 25.2 25.3 
			  Conditional discharge 35.9 39.1 37.3 31.1 43.9 31.4 26.3 24.7 26.2 
			  Court orders 46.3 53.8 51.4 51.5 48.9 46.3 48.1 48.7 41.4 
			  Fines 0.0 39.1 43.9 36.1 25.9 43.9 33.9 20.4 (1)— 
			  Prison 37.1 64.2 60.7 57.5 56.1 55.8 55.9 58.7 56.1 
			  Other 37.0 35.7 33.7 27.4 41.2 29.3 28.1 18.4 19.7 
			            
			 Juveniles First tier penalty 47.8 42.0 44.0 41.7 42.9 43.6 41.4 39.3 41.6 
			  Prison 78.9 78.4 82.3 83.2 80.3 81.1 82.4 84.0 83.1 
			  Youth Community penalty 57.9 64.3 68 3 68.0 68.0 69.9 66.1 69.4 68.6 
			  Youth Pre-court Disposal 28.6 27.1 29 5 31.3 31.2 33.8 28.9 30.5 30.6 
			  Youth—Other 51.8 56.9 71.4 66.0 68.9 69.4 62.5 62.9 57.5 
			 (1) Data based on less than 30 offenders or offences are removed as they make data unreliable for interpretation. Note: Data is not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on Court Orders. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Number of re-offences committed in the one year follow up period by offenders found guilty of burglary 
			  Year No re-offences 1 to 5 re-offences 6 to 10 re-offences 11 to 20 re-offences 21 and over re-offences 
			 Adults 2000 6,547 6,053 1,547 482 (1)27 
			  2002 5,972 5,769 1,548 509 (1)29 
			  2003 6,160 5,850 1,387 441 (1)30 
			  2004 6,040 5,379 1,201 325 (1)17 
			  2005 6,286 5,050 1,003 253 (1)12 
			  2006 6,809 5,275 854 208 (1)17 
			  2007 7,124 5,742 991 236 (1)14 
			  2008 7,105 6,022 885 227 (1)19 
			  2009 7,179 5,573 786 185 (1)12 
		
	
	
		
			        
			 Juveniles 2000 5,547 3,119 603 240 (1)25 
			  2002 4,883 2.746 1,335 208 (1)24 
			  2003 4,445 2,599 514 193 (1)8 
			  2004 4,194 2,600 449 148 (1)18 
			  2005 4,542 2,750 455 131 (1)12 
			  2006 4,691 3,006 466 159 (1)11 
			  2007 4,537 2,732 448 136 (1)8 
			  2008 3,657 2,367 374 96 (1)7 
			  2009 3,163 2,070 330 88 (1)7 
			 (1) Less than 30 offenders—treat data with caution. Note: Data is not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on Court Orders.

Courts: Interpreters

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the quality of interpretation services in courts in England and Wales following changes to the centralised contract.

Helen Grant: Under the previous arrangements there was no monitorable system for recording complaints about quality. The contract with Applied Language Solutions provides the Ministry, for the first time, with a way to monitor complaints related to interpretation and translation.
	Statistics published on 18 October 2012 by the Ministry of Justice on interpretation services show that of 72,043 completed requests for language services, there were 174 complaints related to interpreter quality.

Courts: Interpreters

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many civil court cases have been adjourned as a result of lack of interpreters supplied by Applied Language Solutions in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Helen Grant: The reasons for civil court case adjournments are not recorded as a matter of course. It is not possible to identify which adjournments are due to a lack of interpreter.

Departmental Responsibilities

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Amber Rudd) of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 777, on departmental responsibilities, if he will set out the role to be played in his Department by the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Mr Evennett).

Chris Grayling: As I announced to the House on 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 777, I have agreed with the Chief Whip that, on occasions, when necessary, the Lord Commissioner of Her Majesty's Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Mr Evennett), will provide support to the team and the House.
	My hon. Friend will assist other Ministry of Justice Ministers during debates in the House and will respond to other parliamentary business on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Driving Offences: Speed Limits

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many motorists were prosecuted for speeding offences in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for speeding offences in the Lancashire police force area from 2009 to 2011 can be viewed in the table as follows.
	Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	
		
			 Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for speeding offences in the Lancashire police force area, 2009-11(1,2) 
			  Number 
			 2009 6,223 
			 2010 4,853 
			 2011 5,081 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Fixed Penalties

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total value of all penalty notices issued by police was in each of the last three years; and what proportion of such notices were not paid.

Helen Grant: The total value of penalty notices for disorders (PND) issued by police and what proportion of such notices were not paid for each of the last three years can be viewed in Table A. The information covers the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
	Data relating to fixed penalty notices (FPN) issued for motoring offences are collected by the Home Office. The information in Table B covers the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. Figures for 2011 are scheduled to be published next spring.
	
		
			 Table A: Number of penalty notices for disorder issued and related monetary values paid and what proportion not paid by tier, England and Wales, 2008-11 
			  Offence Number issued Value of PNDs issued(£) Number of PNDs not paid(1) Percentage of PNDs not paid 
			 2008 Higher Tier Offences (£80) 170,112 13,608,960 81,471 48 
			  Lower Tier Offences (£50) 6,052 302,600 3,404 56 
			  Total —All Offences 176,164 13,911,560 84,875 48 
			       
			 2009 Higher Tier Offences (£80) 164,985 13,198,800 77,186 47 
			  Lower Tier Offences (£50) 5,408 270,400 3,091 57 
			  Total —All Offences 170,393 13,469,200 80,277 47 
			       
			 2010 Higher Tier Offences (£80) 136,542 10,923,360 61,417 45 
			  Lower Tier Offences (£50) 4,227 211,350 2,256 53 
			  Total —All Offences 140,769 11,134,710 63,673 45 
			       
			       
			 2011 Higher Tier Offences (£80) 123,530 9,882,400 56,909 46 
			  Lower Tier Offences (£50) 4,000 200,000 2,202 55 
			  Total —All Offences 127,530 10,082,400 59,111 46 
			 (1) Includes outcome of fine registered, court hearing requested, PND cancelled, potential prosecution and outcome known. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			 Table B: Number of fixed penalty notices for motoring offences (FPNs) issued, related monetary values(1) paid and the proportion not paid by type of notice, England and Wales, 2008-2010 
			  Type Number issued Values of FPNs issued (£) Number of FPNs not paid(2) Percentage of FPNs not paid 
			 2008 Endorsable (£60) 1,523,691 91,421,460 42,807 3 
			  Non-Endorsable (£30) 775,763 23,272,890 202,137 26 
			  Total—All Offences 2,299,454 114,694,350 244,944 11 
			       
			 2009 Endorsable (£60) 1,370,771 82,246,260 43,633 3 
			  Non-Endorsable (£30) 680,391 20,411,730 180,640 27 
			  Total—All Offences 2,051,162 102,657,990 224,273 11 
			       
			 2010 Endorsable (£60) 1,263,846 75,830,760 41,866 3 
			  Non-Endorsable (£30) 587,043 17,611,290 155,731 27 
			  Total—All Offences 1,850,889 93,442,050 197,597 11 
			 (1 )The calculated monetary values are based upon the standard value of endorsable (£60) and non-endorsable (£30) FPNs. The value of FPNs may vary for a small number issued, therefore the figures presented should be considered to be estimates only. (2) A large proportion of fixed penalties that remain unpaid after the statutory period (28 days) are registered as fines at one and a half times the original fixed penalty amount. Data on the outcome of these fine registered FPNs are not held centrally.

Homicide: Prisoners' Release

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the shortest sentence served by a convicted murderer before their release from prison was in the last 15 years;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the current average sentence served by those convicted of murder;
	(3)  how many people have been murdered by individuals who have previously been convicted of murder and then released having served their prison sentences in each of the last 15 years.

Helen Grant: A mandatory life sentence is the only sentence that can be imposed on anyone who is convicted of murder.
	Life sentence prisoners must serve a minimum period of imprisonment to meet the needs of retribution and deterrence. This punitive period is announced by the trial judge in open court and is known commonly as the “tariff” period. No life sentence prisoner can expect to be released before they have served the tariff period in full.
	Release on expiry of the tariff period is not automatic. Release will take place only once this period has been served and only if the Parole Board is satisfied that it is no longer necessary, on the grounds of public protection, for the offender to remain detained in custody. As such, some life sentence prisoners remain in prison beyond their tariff as they are considered to present a risk to the public which may not be effectively managed in the community.
	Data on the shortest sentence served by a convicted murderer before release in the last 15 years are not in a readily accessible electronic format. In order to answer the question precisely, it would be necessary to retrieve and search manual files for this information. This would exceed cost limits.
	Data from 2010 are available in a suitable format. The shortest time served by a person convicted of murder is 3.6 years. The tariff of just under three years was set because of the special circumstances of the offence, where the offender pleaded guilty to what might be described as assisted suicide.
	On 26 April 2012, the Ministry of Justice published Offender Management Statistics quarterly bulletin for October-December 2011, see:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/oms-quarterly/oms-quarterly-editions
	This included data on the average time spent in custody for mandatory life sentence prisoners. These data are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Average time served for persons convicted of murder (years) 
			 2001 13 
			 2002 14 
			 2003 15 
			 2004 14 
			 2005 14 
			 2006 14 
			 2007 16 
			 2008 16 
			 2009 17 
			 2010 16 
			 2011 16 
		
	
	Data on the number of people who have been murdered by those on life licence for murder are not in a readily accessible electronic format for the last 15 years. However, data are available since 2007. Since then, eight people have been murdered by seven offenders on life licence.

Magistrates

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many district judges have left the magistracy in each of the last 10 years; and from what courts such judges left.

Helen Grant: The following table shows the total number of district judges who have left the magistracy in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years. "Left" has been interpreted to include retirement and death. There have been no removals from office.
	
		
			 As at 1 April to 31 March each year Total Retired Died Base court 
			 2003 6 4 2 Birmingham 
			     Bow Street 
		
	
	
		
			     Marylebone 
			     Newham 
			     South Western 
			     West London 
			      
			 2004 5 5 0 Westminster 
			     West London 
			     Portsmouth 
			     Warrington 
			     Horseferry Road 
			      
			 2005 3 2 1 Horseferry Road x2 
			     Norwich 
			      
			 2006 2 2 0 Preston 
			     Trafford 
			      
			 2007 1 1 0 Bow Street 
			      
			 2008 1 1 0 Bristol 
			      
			 2009 5 5 0 Birmingham x2 
			     Hendon 
			     Horseferry Road 
			     Stoke-on-Trent 
			      
			 2010 3 3 0 Cardiff 
			     Highbury Corner 
			     Oxford and Southern Oxfordshire 
			      
			 2011 7 6 1 Bradford 
			     Brighton 
			     Leicester x2 
			     Manchester City 
			     Nottingham 
			     Stratford 
			      
			 2012 6 5 1 Chesterfield 
			     Norwich 
			     Plymouth 
			     South Worcestershire 
			     Tower Bridge x2

Magistrates

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many new Justices of the Peace have been appointed in each of the last 10 years; and to which courts they were appointed.

Helen Grant: The following table shows the total number of magistrates (justices of the peace) appointed in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.
	
		
			 As at 1 April to 31 March each year: Magistrates appointed 
			 2002-03 1,410 
			 2003-04 1,768 
			 2004-05 1,766 
			 2005-06 2,212 
			 2006-07 2,412 
			 2007-08 1,899 
			 2008-09 1,773 
			 2009-10 1,632 
			 2010-11 1,012 
			 2011-12 736 
		
	
	On appointment, magistrates are assigned to a local justice area and may then sit at a number of courts within the area. It has not been possible in the time available to provide a breakdown of appointments by local justice area. I will provide this information in a letter shortly.

Magistrates

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Justices of the Peace have left the magistracy in each of the last 10 years; and from which courts such justices left.

Helen Grant: The following table shows the total number of magistrates (justices of the peace) who have left the magistracy in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years. "Left" has been interpreted to include retirement, resignation, removal and death.
	
		
			 As at 1 April to 31 March each year: Total Retired Resigned Removed Died 
			 2003 1,606 558 942 22 84 
			 2004 1,408 533 781 12 82 
			 2005 1,593 550 935 16 92 
			 2006 1,653 545 1,015 12 81 
			 2007 1,614 574 947 10 83 
			 2008 1,584 632 849 8 95 
			 2009 1,746 755 888 11 92 
			 2010 1,759 834 821 22 82 
			 2011 2,101 824 1,165 19 93 
			 2012 1,959 752 1,099 19 89 
		
	
	On appointment, magistrates are assigned to a local justice area and may then sit at a number of courts within the area. It has not been possible in the time available to provide a breakdown of the above figures by local justice area. I will provide this information in a letter shortly.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North dated 5 September 2012, ref 330806.

Helen Grant: I have now replied. I am sorry for the delay.

Parole Board

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent employees there were at the Parole Board on 30 September (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Helen Grant: The number of full-time equivalent staff employed by the Parole Board as at 30 September in each year indicated was:
	
		
			  Number of full-time equivalent staff 
			 2010 92.06 
			 2011 90.60 
			 2012 84.92

Prison Sentences

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many of those given indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection received a minimum tariff of (a) two to five years, (b) over five years up to and including 10 years, (c) over 10 years up to 15 years, (d) over 15 years up to and including 20 years and (e) over 20 years in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2011;
	(2)  what the average minimum tariff was for people given indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011.

Jeremy Wright: Based on the population at the end of June 2012, the number of prisoners who were given indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) by the required tariff length bands in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Tariff length 2009 2010 2011 
			 Two to five years 487 416 326 
			 Over five and up to and including 10 years 195 180 207 
			 Over 10 and up to and including 15 years 9 17 14 
			 Over 15 and up to and including 20 years 0 2 0 
		
	
	Any time spent on remand is not taken into consideration during the tariff band calculation.
	The average tariff imposed for those serving IPP sentences in the years 2009. 2010 and 2011 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Average tariff length (months) 
			 2009 47.9 
			 2010 50.7 
			 2011 55.3 
		
	
	These figures were drawn from administrative 11 systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners' Release

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has any plans to review the release test for those prisoners on indeterminate sentences for imprisonment for public protection who have served their minimum tariff.

Jeremy Wright: There are no current plans to review the release test for prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment for public protection whose minimum term has expired. The National Offender Management Service is using a range of measures to improve the progression of these prisoners in reducing the risk they pose.

Prisoners' Release

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2012, Official Report, columns 123-4W, on prisoners; release, and the figures given in Table 4, if he will provide the number of offenders recalled to custody for committing (a) further criminal offences, (b) further sexual offences and (c) further violent offences.

Jeremy Wright: All prisoners subject to supervision by probation trusts are liable to recall to prison should they breach the conditions of their licence or for further offending.
	The precise reasons for recall are not held in a readily accessible electronic format. In the year 2011-12, there were over 16,500 recalls of prisoners on licence. All of these records would need to be checked manually in order to answer the question fully. This would substantially exceed cost limits.
	Each quarter, the Ministry of Justice publishes a report on licence recalls and returns to custody. This may be found at the following web address and in the House Library:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/oms-quarterly

Prisoners: Domestic Violence

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what support his Department provides to (a) male and (b) female inmates who have experienced domestic violence.

Helen Grant: The Government are committed to supporting all victims of domestic and sexual violence and abuse.
	Disclosure of information about domestic violence can be extremely difficult and traumatic for the individual, and we aim to provide support and help to all prisoners who need it as part of the rehabilitation services offered in custody. Some ways in which prisons achieve this include ensuring that staff create an environment where offenders:
	feel able to disclose in confidence
	always receive a sensitive and professional response
	have access to appropriate and relevant information
	are referred to appropriate services if required.
	Governors can also commission and/or deliver specific services or activities that support individuals who have experienced domestic violence, rape or abuse.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what offences the foreign nationals in prison in England and Wales on 30 September 2012 were found guilty of.

Jeremy Wright: As at 30 June 2012 there were 7,679 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison establishments in England and Wales.
	The following table shows the breakdown by offence group.
	
		
			 Foreign national prisoner population under immediate custodial sentence (including recalls) by offence group, England and Wales, 30 June 2012 
			 Offence group Total 
			 Violence against the person 1,821 
			 Sexual offences 1,063 
			 Robbery 731 
			 Burglary 372 
			 Theft and Handling 534 
			 Fraud and Forgery 434 
			 Drug offences 1,716 
			 Motoring offences 97 
			 Other offences 873 
			 Offence not recorded 38 
			 All offences 7,679 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign nationals there were in prison in England and Wales by nationality on 30 September 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The following tables show the number of foreign national prisoners of each nationality being held in prisons in England and Wales, as at 30 June 2012. These figures are published quarterly in table 1.6 of the ‘Offender Management Statistics Quarterly Bulletin’ available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/prisons-and-probation/oms-quarterly.htm
	Data for the quarter ending September 2012 will be published shortly.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Population in prison, by nationality and sex, 30 June 2012, England and Wales 
			 Nationality Male Female Total 
			 All nationalities 81,925 4,123 86,048 
			 British nationals 69,893 3,345 73,238 
			 Foreign nationals 10,247 614 10,861 
			 Nationality not recorded 1,785 164 1,949 
			     
			 Total Africa 2,341 136 2,477 
			 Algeria 154 0 154 
			 Angola 61 1 62 
		
	
	
		
			 Benin 6 0 6 
			 Botswana 1 0 1 
			 Burkina Faso 1 0 1 
			 Burundi 14 0 14 
			 Cameroon 23 1 24 
			 Central African Republic 10 1 11 
			 Chad 3 0 3 
			 Congo 125 6 131 
			 Egypt 21 1 22 
			 Equatorial Guinea 2 0 2 
			 Ethiopia 69 3 72 
			 Gambia 51 3 54 
			 Ghana 125 14 139 
			 Guinea 21 0 21 
			 Ivory Coast 30 0 30 
			 Kenya 52 0 52 
			 Lesotho 1 0 1 
			 Liberia 11 0 11 
			 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 17 0 17 
			 Malawi 11 3 14 
			 Mali 2 0 2 
			 Mauritania 4 2 6 
			 Mauritius 17 3 20 
			 Morocco 51 4 55 
			 Mozambique 1 0 1 
			 Namibia 4 2 6 
			 Niger 14 4 18 
			 Nigeria 548 46 594 
			 Rwanda 15 0 15 
			 Senegal 4 1 5 
			 Seychelles 3 0 3 
			 Sierra Leone 68 1 69 
			 Somalia 402 8 410 
			 South Africa 77 13 90 
			 Sudan 44 0 44 
			 Tanzania 25 1 26 
			 Togo 2 0 2 
			 Tunisia 21 0 21 
			 Uganda 52 6 58 
			 Western Sahara 0 0 0 
			 Zambia 21 3 24 
			 Zimbabwe 157 9 166 
			     
			 Total Asia 2,016 77 2,093 
			 Afghanistan 161 0 161 
			 Bangladesh 237 2 239 
			 China 155 17 172 
			 India 421 5 426 
			 Japan 4 1 5 
			 Korea, DPR (North Korea) 1 0 1 
			 Korea, Republic of 5 0 5 
			 Lao Peoples Democratic Republic 2 0 2 
			 Malaysia 20 4 24 
			 Mongolia 2 2 4 
			 Myanmar 1 0 1 
			 Nepal 8 0 8 
			 Pakistan 462 10 472 
			 Philippines 18 4 22 
			 Singapore 3 0 3 
		
	
	
		
			 Sri Lanka 136 5 141 
			 Taiwan (Nationalist Chinese) 2 1 3 
			 Thailand 3 5 8 
			 Vietnam 375 21 396 
			     
			 Total Central and South America 217 31 248 
			 Argentina 2 1 3 
			 Belize 2 0 2 
			 Bolivia 6 0 6 
			 Brazil 48 8 56 
			 Chile 12 1 13 
			 Colombia 53 5 58 
			 Costa Rica 3 2 5 
			 Ecuador 15 0 15 
			 El Salvador 1 0 1 
			 French Guiana 3 0 3 
			 Guatemala 3 3 6 
			 Guyana 25 1 26 
			 Mexico 23 7 30 
			 Nicaragua 2 0 2 
			 Panama 0 0 0 
			 Paraguay 1 0 1 
			 Peru 1 1 2 
			 Suriname 3 0 3 
			 Venezuela 14 2 16 
			     
			 Total Europe 4,048 269 4,317 
			 Albania 186 2 188 
			 Armenia 8 0 8 
			 Austria 12 1 13 
			 Azerbaijan 3 0 3 
			 Belgium 22 2 24 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 4 12 
			 Bulgaria 37 13 50 
			 Croatia 10 0 10 
			 Cyprus 26 0 26 
			 Czech Republic 85 8 93 
			 Denmark 12 0 12 
			 Estonia 24 0 24 
			 Finland 3 2 5 
			 France 103 7 110 
			 Georgia 7 1 8 
			 Germany 64 4 68 
			 Greece 16 2 18 
			 Hungary 35 5 40 
			 Irish Republic 692 45 737 
			 Italy 86 3 89 
			 Kazakhstan 4 0 4 
			 Kyrgyzstan 1 0 1 
			 Latvia 168 14 182 
			 Lithuania 442 20 462 
			 Luxembourg 1 0 1 
			 Macedonia 7 0 7 
			 Malta 6 1 7 
			 Moldova 9 0 9 
			 Monaco 2 0 2 
			 Netherlands 127 17 144 
			 Norway 5 0 5 
			 Poland 732 18 750 
		
	
	
		
			 Portugal 208 12 220 
			 Romania 485 56 541 
			 Russian Federation 60 5 65 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 30 2 32 
			 Slovakia 81 6 87 
			 Slovenia 2 0 2 
			 Spain 73 11 84 
			 Sweden 17 2 19 
			 Switzerland 5 0 5 
			 Turkey 115 1 116 
			 Turkmenistan 2 0 2 
			 Ukraine 25 4 29 
			 Uzbekistan 2 1 3 
			     
			 Total North America 74 13 87 
			 Canada 21 6 27 
			 United States 53 7 60 
			     
			 Total Middle East 510 8 518 
			 Iran 211 3 214 
			 Iraq 200 2 202 
			 Israel 33 1 34 
			 Jordan 3 0 3 
			 Kuwait 10 0 10 
			 Lebanon 13 0 13 
			 Qatar 0 0 0 
			 Saudi Arabia 9 2 11 
			 Syrian Arab Republic 19 0 19 
			 United Arab Emirates 2 0 2 
			 Yemen, Republic of 10 0 10 
			     
			 Total Oceania 28 1 29 
			 Australia 18 0 18 
			 Fiji 4 1 5 
			 Kiribati 1 0 1 
			 New Zealand 4 0 4 
			 Samoa 1 0 1 
			     
			 Total West Indies 1,013 79 1,092 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 4 1 5 
			 Bahamas 3 2 5 
			 Barbados 34 2 36 
			 Bermuda 5 2 7 
			 Cayman Islands 2 0 2 
			 Cuba 5 0 5 
			 Dominica 17 0 17 
			 Grenada 8 0 8 
			 Haiti 0 1 1 
			 Jamaica 840 60 900 
			 Montserrat 12 0 12 
			 St Kitts and Nevis 5 0 5 
			 St Lucia 20 1 21 
			 St Vincent and the Grenadines 12 1 13 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 46 9 55

Prisoners: Older People

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on meeting the health and social care needs of elderly prisoners on their release; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: There have been no recent meetings between DH and MOJ Ministers to discuss meeting the health and social care needs of elderly prisoners on their release. However, discussions have been held between the two Departments at official level through the Offender Social Care Implementation Group.
	The White Paper on social care "Caring for our future: reforming care and support" published in July 2012 sets out the Government's aim to clarify the responsibility for assessing and providing social care support to offenders in prison. We will develop, with stakeholders, a new framework for the provision of care and support in prisons so it is clear where responsibility lies.

Prisoners: Older People

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection are aged over 60 years.

Jeremy Wright: As at 30 June 2012, there were 193 offenders aged over 60 in prison establishments in England and Wales serving indeterminate sentences for public protection.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Per Capita Costs

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) cost per prisoner and (b) cost per place in each prison was in 2011-12.

Helen Grant: As part of the Government's Transparency Agenda, the Department publishes full details of outturn expenditure and average cost per prisoner and cost per place for each private and public sector prison in England and Wales after the end of the financial year. The information for financial year 2011-12 is due to be published as an addendum to the National Offender Management Service annual report and accounts on 25 October 2012 and will be available on the Department's website at
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/prison-probation-performance-info
	A copy will also be placed in the House Library.

Prisoners: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what treatment is available to prisoners with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services, are increasingly able to treat post traumatic stress disorder. IAPT services are increasingly available in prisons and it is intended that they will be available in all prisons by March 2015. In January 2009, the IAPT Programme published best practice guidance, ‘Offenders: Positive Practice Guidance’, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with which countries the UK has signed prisoner transfer agreements since May 2010.

Jeremy Wright: The Government signed a prisoner transfer agreement with Saudi Arabia on 2 January 2012. Prisoner Transfer Agreements with Albania and with the United Arab Emirates have also been concluded and await signature. Furthermore, on 5 December 2011, the Government implemented the EU prisoner transfer agreement (Council Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA).

Prisoners: Veterans

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether history of military service is automatically recorded when an inmate is received into prison; and how any such service is recorded.

Jeremy Wright: In cases where a history of military service is disclosed to the Prison Service on reception, this information is recorded on its electronic prisoner database, P-Nomis.

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent employees there were in (a) public and (b) private sector prisons on 30 September 2012.

Helen Grant: Figures for 30 September 2012 are currently unavailable for public sector prisons.
	The number of full-time equivalent employees in public sector and private sector prisons are set out in the following table as at 31 August:
	
		
			 Full-time equivalent staff as at 31 August 2012 
			  Number 
			 Public sector prisons 40,369 
			 Private sector prisons 5,978 
		
	
	Public sector staffing figures include all staff directly employed in public sector prisons and area support teams, but not regional services.

Prisons: Capital Investment

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the capital investment budget is for prisons in financial year (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

Helen Grant: The capital investment budget for prisons in the 2012-13 financial year is £134 million. The budget for future years has not yet been agreed.

Prisons: Private Sector

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the National Offender Management Service decided not to impose financial penalties on private prisons on each occasion such penalties were found to be applicable in the last five years; and how much revenue was forgone in each such year.

Helen Grant: Performance points are accrued on the occurrence of a custodial service failure which are recorded on a quarterly and annual basis in each contract. Charges are then applied when these total points exceed the relevant performance baseline. Under certain circumstances these charges maybe waived, for example on the basis that the failure could be in part or direct result of an authority/NOMS default.
	Information providing a site by site breakdown of charges and reasons related for any mitigation are not routinely collated centrally. Furthermore prior to May 2010 under the previous NOMS structure of regional directors of offender managers (DOMS), decisions on the application or mitigation of points were handled regionally. Therefore the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the NOMS finance team have recently been working on identifying and collating information with regards to the number of points applied (less any credit/baseline deductions) and the associated charge to the contractor. See following table for a summary for 2010-11 and 2011-12;
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 
			 Prison Points Estimated charge (£) Points Estimated charge (£) 
			 Altcourse 433 130,000 0 0 
			 Ashfield 140 16,000 130 14,000 
			 Birmingham n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Bronzefield 193 70,000 88 20,000 
			 Doncaster n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Dovegate 0 0 0 0 
			 Forest Bank 0 0 0 0 
			 Lowdham Grange 0 0 152 20,000 
			 Oakwood n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Parc 0 0 0 0 
			 Peterborough 0 0 147 23,000 
			 Rye Hill 747 109,000 1,082 165,000 
			 Thameside n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wolds 68 5,000 19 1,000

Prisons: Private Sector

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has received any reports of instances of private prisons refusing to take new prisoners because of a lockdown caused by staff shortages in the last 12 months for which information is available.

Helen Grant: There have been no instances during the last 12 months of a private prison's refusing to take new prisoners because of a lockdown caused by staff shortages.

Probation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent employees there were at the probation service on 30 September (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees in post in the probation service on 30 September 2010 and 2011 are listed in the following table. Figures for September 2012 are currently unavailable; however the latest published figures to this date (at 30 June 2012) have been provided in the table.
	
		
			 Probation service staff in post 
			 Probation service FTE 
			 2010 19,193.81 
			 2011 18,449.73 
			 2012 17,880.58

Probation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget is for the Probation Service in financial year (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.

Helen Grant: The overall budget allocated to Probation Trusts in 2011-12 was £820 million, and for 2012-13 is £814 million. Figures are rounded to the nearest million. These amounts reflect the total of the contract values agreed with each Probation Trust at the beginning of the financial year. It should be noted that, in addition to these amounts, some funds are held centrally for specific offender related initiatives. These are not embedded in the budget and contract values and therefore excluded from the figures given. Allocated budget amounts may vary throughout the financial year. Probation Trusts may also receive income from elsewhere.
	The Department has not set Probation Trust budgets for 2013-14. Budgets will be set as part of the Department's regular annual budget allocation process. Allocations will be made on the basis of need and according to departmental priorities.

Probation: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 411W, on probation: Essex, for what reasons meetings with hon. Members were arranged; what issues were discussed at each meeting; who was present at each meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The meetings listed in the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 411W, were arranged to introduce the chief executive to local hon. Members and to explain the work of the Probation Trust. Discussion focused on current probation work and the Trust’s contribution to local criminal justice priorities. Most were one-to-one meetings between the chief executive and the hon. Member.

Probation: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 410W, on probation, what specific steps Essex Probation have (a) taken and (b) plan to take in each of the next two years to increase its cost-effectiveness; what meetings officials in his Department have had with Essex Probation about this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: Further to the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 410W, Essex Probation Trust, as part of its annual business planning process, reviews all areas of expenditure to identify potential for improving cost effectiveness. The review considers cost information generated internally and also from external sources, as well as staff suggestions for improving efficiency and innovation.
	The value of the Trust’s contract with the Secretary of State is agreed each year with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The contract management team in NOMS is in frequent contact with the Trust to discuss performance, including financial performance, which is measured as part of the contract. The team also has formal quarterly contract review meetings with the Trust.

Probation: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 637W, on probation: Essex, if he will place in the Library a copy of the response to each request to Essex Probation made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 where the request was agreed to and answered in (a) full and (b) part since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: Further to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 637W, from 2005 to 2007 the Home Office Open Government Unit responded to all Freedom of Information requests relating to the Essex Probation Board. The Essex Probation Board assumed responsibility for replying to Freedom of Information requests in 2008. The Essex Probation Trust, which came into being on 1 April 2010, is responsible for replying to any Freedom of Information requests addressed to it.
	Under the Department’s document retention policy, Freedom of Information replies need be kept for no longer than two years. Information relating to older requests is not available.
	I will arrange for the responses for the last two years’ responses to be placed in the Library.

Probation: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 410W, on probation: Essex, what estimate his Department made of the potential cost to the public purse of answering question 107556 in full; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: Further to the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 410W, on probation: Essex, the Ministry of Justice does not hold the other information requested. To answer the question in full all 35 probation trusts would have had to collate 10 years’ worth of complaint correspondence, much of which may be in hard copy rather than electronic format.
	Following collation, this information would need to be compared with local population data for each probation area over the last 10 years. Some of that information is not available in a readily accessible format.
	It is difficult to form an accurate estimate of the total cost of such an exercise; however, it clearly exceeds the disproportionate cost threshold.

Probation: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 637W, on Probation: Essex, whether the position of Chief Executive of Essex Probation was advertised; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: Further to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 637W, in accordance with general policy on the establishment of Probation Trusts under the Offender Management Act 2007, the position of chief executive of Essex Probation Trust was not advertised.
	Mary Archer was the chief officer of the Trust's predecessor body, the Essex Probation Board. She was appointed chief executive by the Secretary of State on 1 April 2010, when the Essex Probation Trust was formed.

Public Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 8 March 2012, Official Report, columns 853-4W, on public expenditure, what recent progress has been made in saving £1 billion from administration and front line efficiency in his Department; and what progress he expects to make in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

Helen Grant: The Department continues to make good progress in delivering the savings required to live within the spending review settlement, including through increased efficiencies in the back office and at the frontline.

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice intends to bring the Act fully into force in January 2013. We are currently awaiting detailed guidance from the Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group Procurement Policy Team on how the Act will be incorporated in Ministry of Justice procurement processes.

Redundancy

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to page 19 of his Department's Business Plan 2012-15, published on 31 May 2012, what estimate his Department has made of the redundancy costs for the planned reduction in workforce in the current spending review period.

Helen Grant: The Department's spending review 2010 implementation requires headcount reduction by 2014-15 through a combination of natural wastage, recruitment freezes and staff exits. We have made good progress so far through strict recruitment controls and restructuring of HQ and across our agencies. The total cost of exit packages in 2011-12 was £133.8 million of which £1.1 million was spent on compulsory redundancies. This information is published on page 106 of the Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12. Please refer to the following link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/corporate-reports/moj/2012/ministry-of-justice-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-12
	Reductions have been achieved through voluntary early departure schemes and redeployment where appropriate. There remains a need to continue making reductions throughout the spending review. As these are developed locally, consideration will be given as to whether the reductions can be achieved through natural staff turnover and recruitment controls. Where this is not possible further exit schemes may be appropriate.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what definition his Department uses for (a) reprimand, (b) severe reprimand and (c) demotion under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 where these are handed down as punishments following a military summary hearing; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA) does not define the terms ‘reprimand’, ‘severe reprimand' and ‘demotion'. These terms originate in the relevant Armed Forces legislation. The Armed Forces Act 2006 governs how these disposals are treated under the ROA.
	Where there is doubt over whether a particular disposal falls under a provision of the ROA then determination of this is a matter for the courts. Under current legislation where a disposal is not otherwise dealt within the ROA, then it falls to be considered under the last entry of Table A in section 5(2) which imposes a rehabilitation period of five years.

Unpaid Fines: West Midlands

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many unpaid fines there were in the West Midlands in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the monetary value was of those fines.

Helen Grant: For the period April 2012 to June 2012 (latest published data) there were 13,523 (£4,229,890) financial imposition accounts (financial impositions include fines, cost orders, compensation orders and victim surcharge impositions) opened in the West Midlands accounting division area. By the end of June 2012, 2,107 of these accounts were closed, 11,416 (£3,536,870) were either fully or partially outstanding of which 5,574 were compliant with their payment terms.
	The total value of all outstanding financial impositions accounts (excluding confiscation orders) in the West Midlands accounting division at the end of June 2012 was £35,256,383. This amount relates to all outstanding accounts regardless of when they were imposed and includes accounts which are compliant with their payment terms.
	It is not possible to provide the total number of outstanding fines in the West Midlands area.

Victim Support Schemes

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure a minimum standard of provision of services for victims and witnesses by police and crime commissioners;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's White Paper, Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses, whether responsibility for victims and witnesses services under police and crime commissioners will be (a) funded by his Department and (b)  ring-fenced for delivery of specific services.

Helen Grant: Police and crime commissioners should have the widest possible discretion to commission services to meet the needs of victims in their area, and, we believe, not be constrained by minimum standards or entitlements. We will support PCCs by providing them, and service providers, with an outcomes-based commissioning framework.
	The majority of the funding PCCs will receive to commission services for victims and witnesses will be provided by the Ministry of Justice. It is not our intention to ring-fence this funding for specific services.

Victims' Commissioner

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget was for the Office of Victims’s Commissioner in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and how much of that budget was spent in each such year.

Helen Grant: The budget and expenditure is set out in the table. There was no Victims' Commissioner in post in 2009-10; in 2011-12 the Office ceased to operate from the end of October 2011 following Louise Casey's resignation,
	
		
			 £ 
			  Budget Expenditure 
			 2009-10 0 0 
			 2010-11 950,000 939,000 
			 2011-12 1,200,000 585,000 
			 2012-13 0 0 
		
	
	Although no formal budget has been allocated to the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner for 2012-13, the Commissioner will be adequately funded from existing departmental funds once an appointment has been made.

Victims’ Commissioner: Staff

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report, columns 849-50W, on Victims' Commissioner: manpower, how many full-time equivalent staff worked in the office of the Victims' Commissioner between October 2011 and March 2012.

Helen Grant: During October 2011 there were 8.8 full-time equivalent members of staff (excluding the Commissioner herself) in the office of the Victims' Commissioner. The Victims' Commissioner resigned at the end of October 2011 at which point the office ceased to operate.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff were employed by the Tribunals Service to deal with appeals relating to the work capability assessment in each month in 2012 to date.

Helen Grant: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	It is not possible to identify how many staff deal specifically with ESA appeals. The following table shows the number of administrative staff employed in relation to the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal as at the end of each month between January and September 2012 (the latest date for which figures have been published). The tribunal hears appeals on a range of benefits, of which ESA is one.
	Of the 994 staff in post as at 30 September 2012, 886 were permanent staff and 108 staff were on fixed term contracts. A number of efficiency improvements have been made and continue to be made in the SSCS Tribunal. These enable each member of staff to process more cases.
	
		
			 Social Security and Child Support Tribunal staff numbers—January to September 2012 
			  Number of staff(1) 
			 January 1,002 
			 February 996 
			 March 1,010 
			 April 996 
			 May (2)996 
			 June 1,001 
			 July 1,007 
			 August 1,007 
			 September 994 
			 (1 )The data are taken from management information. The figures quoted refer to the total number of people employed and includes those who work part-time or on a full-time basis and on temporary or fixed-term contacts. Some of the staff included may work in multi-jurisdictional centres dealing with other work as well as SSCS appeals. Equally some staff working in multi-jurisdictional centres who deal with SSCS appeals may not be included. (2) This figure is different from the figure of 988 given in answer to PQ 115318 on 9 July 2012. The reason for this is that staff have been moved retrospectively into a different budget code.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Aerospace Industry

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to encourage long-term investment in the UK aerospace industry;
	(2)  what support his Department is providing to assist the UK aerospace industry to invest in emerging technologies.

Michael Fallon: We are working closely with business through the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP), which I chair jointly with Marcus Bryson of GKN Aerospace, to identify the key technologies that will best position the UK aerospace industry to increase its competitiveness, achieve sustainable growth, and encourage long term investment. Following the launch of a ‘Strategic Vision for UK Aerospace’ publication in July, setting out how industry and Government are working together, the way ahead on these issues will be set out in an AGP strategy document which be published in January 2013.
	In the meantime, the Government has already this year agreed to co-invest with business in a wide range of new research and technology projects in aerospace, including emerging technologies:
	£28.2 million of government investment allocated to six innovative aerodynamics projects, with a further £20 million added by business;
	£20 million for collaborative aerodynamics research projects launched through the Technology Strategy Board with £20 million matched funded by business;
	£40 million in a series of projects on low carbon aero engine research, matched by £40 million from business;
	£25 million in a series of projects on new manufacturing processes, to be matched by business;
	£15 million joint Government and industry investment awarded by the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to 11 major business-led R&D projects.

British Antarctic Survey

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the cost was to the public purse of the (a) establishment and (b) work of the British Antarctic Survey in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: The total expenditure (resource and capital) for BAS for the past five years is set out in the table below.
	
		
			 £000 
			  2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 
			 Resource 39,800 38,678 41,142 37,558 38,619 
			 Capital 16,175 5,946 7,978 11,437 7,523 
			 Total Resource and Capital 55,975 44,624 49,120 48,995 46,142 
			 Note: The terms ‘establishment’ and ‘work of’ do not correspond to categories within NERC’s budget. Source: How we spent the Science Budget, NERC Annual Accounts

British Antarctic Survey

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) manpower and (b) property establishment are of the British Antarctic Survey.

David Willetts: (a) There are 485 Natural Environment Research Council employees working for BAS.
	(b) The Net Book Value (NBV) of BAS property is £140,648,000 (taken from the fixed asset register as at 31 March 2012).

British Antarctic Survey

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) objectives and (b) tasks are of the British Antarctic Survey.

David Willetts: (a) The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Mission is to:
	Deliver a world-class programme of scientific research, national capability and long-term observations, concentrating on the regional and global role of polar processes in the Earth System.
	Through its science and impact, sustain for the UK an active and influential Antarctic regional presence, and a leadership role in Antarctic affairs. BAS provides a focus for national and international cooperation in polar science, and access for scientists to the polar regions.
	(b) BAS delivers and co-ordinates major research programmes, including those requiring significant technology or infrastructure. It exploits research outcomes, engages with the public, provides expert independent advice to the British Government and other stakeholders, and helps to discharge the UK's responsibilities under the Antarctic Treaty System and to administer British Antarctic Territory.

Business: Cannock Chase

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support businesses in Cannock Chase constituency.

Michael Fallon: We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and for the next decade to be the most entrepreneurial and dynamic in Britain's history. That is why, in January, the Prime Minister launched “Business in You”, a major campaign to inspire people to realise their business ambitions and to highlight the range of support available for start-ups and growing businesses.
	We have introduced a range of measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK:
	Ensuring SMEs can access the support and advice they need to start and grow
	We have changed the way that we help people access the information, guidance and advice they need to start and grow a business. We have put in place a range of services including;
	www.gov.uk is the new home for Government services and information online, www.gov.uk has been built to make it simpler, clearer and faster for people to find what they need from Government. To help those that cannot use internet service, we will continue to offer support through the Business Link helpline (on 0845 6009006).
	A mentoring portal www.mentorsme.co.uk providing an easy route to find experienced business mentors.
	A new three year “GrowthAccelerator” programme which will provide high quality coaching support for up to 26,000 SMEs with high growth potential.
	Ensuring SMEs can access the finance they need
	In July, the Government and Bank of England launched the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS), which allows banks and building societies to borrow at cheaper rates from the Bank of England for periods of up to four years. The FLS creates strong incentives for banks to increase lending to UK households and businesses by lowering interest rates and increasing access to credit.
	Launched a new £10 million Start-Up Loan Scheme aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds.
	Increased the funds available to invest through the Business Finance Partnership (BFP) to £1.2 billion. Government will allocate £100 million of the BFP to invest through non-traditional lending channels that can reach smaller businesses.
	Continuation of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme until 2014/15, providing, subject to demand, over£2 billion of additional lending.
	Announced a new £50 million Business Angel Co-Investment Fund to encourage Business Angel investment.
	Continuation of the Government's Enterprise Capital Funds programme, increasing our commitment by £200 million, providing for more than £300 million of venture capital investment to address the equity gap for early stage innovative SMEs.
	Welcomed the report of the industry review of non-bank lending chaired by Tim Breedon and will take forward its recommendations, including encouraging prompt payment by larger firms.
	A £2.4 billion Regional Growth Fund operating across England from 2011 to 2015 which supports projects and programmes that lever private sector investment creating economic growth and sustainable employment.
	Ensuring that regulation supports business growth
	Introduced a ‘one-in, one-out' rule whereby no new regulations which impose costs on businesses can be brought in without regulation of an equivalent value being removed.
	In April 2011 the Government introduced a three-year moratorium on new domestic regulation affecting micro businesses and genuine start-ups.
	The Red Tape Challenge is tackling the stock of regulation via a comprehensive thematic review which aims to identify regulations that could be removed, simplified or done in a different way.
	Addressing the way in which regulation is enforced at the front line through a series of sector-based reviews of enforcement to examine whether national and local regulatory enforcement was being undertaken and placing the minimum necessary burden on business.
	To reduce barriers to businesses taking on new staff Government has announced significant deregulation of employment law, including increasing the unfair dismissal qualifying period from one to two years from 6 April 2012.
	Encouraging exporting SMEs
	Government will spend £35 million to double, from 25,000 to 50,000, the number of SMEs that UKTI supports a year by 2015. Many components of the UKTI product are aimed at SMEs:
	Passport to Export is a trade development programme offering new and inexperienced exporters help and support to build the capability to start exporting proactively and make their first visit to an export market. Launched in 2001, it has helped around 14,000 SMEs as of January 2012.
	Gateway to Global Growth offers experienced SME exporters the opportunity to increase their exporting skills and awareness of what is on offer from UKTI and private sector suppliers. The aim is to help them enter more difficult markets or expand in existing ones.
	Market Visit Support provides assistance to new to export and/or new to market SMEs visiting overseas markets, individually or in groups as part of their trade development process.
	Budget 2012 set out an ambition to more than double annual UK exports to £1 trillion by 2020 through additional measures including expanding the overseas role of UK Export Finance to enable it to develop finance packages that could help UK exporters secure opportunities identified through UK Trade & Investment's High Value Opportunities programme.
	Local Business Support
	The “Local Growth” White Paper set out Government's vision for a localised approach to rebalancing the economy, with key private and public sector partners coming together to drive growth and create employment across functional economic areas. Since then, 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) across England have formed and are now working to ensure that local economies can support existing businesses, enterprise and long-term growth. Cannock Chase benefits from being part of two LEP areas: Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP. Both have set up specific services to support business development in their areas. For example, businesses in Cannock Chase can benefit from a dedicated helpline set up by the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP (0300 111 8002), who have also responded to significant demand by holding a series of well attended ‘Access to Finance’ events. The “Business Hub”, led by Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP provides another useful source of support to local SMEs and larger organisations in the area
	http://centreofenterprise.com/

Business: Government Assistance

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with major lenders on loans to young entrepreneurs, particularly those who are not in education, employment or training to establish credit for new, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Michael Fallon: Ministers hold regular discussions with lenders about how this scheme, and other lending programmes, can be best utilised by the major banks, to support businesses including start-ups.
	The Government is engaged in the pilot of a major programme to support young entrepreneurs, regardless of background, in accessing start-up finance where access to traditional lending is limited. This programme has an allocation of £10 million for the remainder of this year, with a further £30 million and £42 million earmarked for future years.
	This programme is being delivered by a new company under the leadership of James Caan, which in turn is working with delivery partners. These partners include CDFIs, banks and other lenders and the company is in discussions across the credit market to ensure lending capacity is in place.
	As well as Start-Up Loans, Government has the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme in place to support lending to businesses without sufficient track-record or collateral.

Business: Pendle

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to support small and medium-sized businesses in Pendle constituency.

Michael Fallon: We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and for the next decade to be the most entrepreneurial and dynamic in Britain's history. That is why in January the Prime Minister launched ‘Business in You’, a major campaign, to inspire people to realise their business ambitions and to highlight the range of support available for start-ups and growing businesses.
	We have introduced a range of measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK:
	Ensuring SMES can access the support and advice they need to start and grow
	We have changed the way that we help people access the information, guidance and advice they need to start and grow a business. We have put in place a range of services including:
	All Government support and advice available on
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	Later this month, we will transfer this to a new website:
	www.gov.uk
	which will provide users with simpler information that is easier and faster to access. To help those that cannot use internet service, we will continue to offer support through the Business Link helpline on 0845 600 9006.
	A mentoring portal www.mentorsme.co.uk providing an easy route to find experienced business mentors.
	A new three year Growth Accelerator programme which will provide high quality coaching support for up to 26,000 SMEs with high growth potential.
	Ensuring businesses can access the finance they need
	In July, the Government and Bank of England launched the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS), which allows banks and building societies to borrow at cheaper rates from the Bank of England for periods of up to four years. The FLS creates strong incentives for banks to increase lending to UK households and businesses by lowering interest rates and increasing access to credit.
	Launched a new £10 million Start-Up Loan Scheme aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds.
	Increased the funds available to invest through the Business Finance Partnership (BFP) to £1.2 billion. Government will allocate £100 million of the BFP to invest through non-traditional lending channels that can reach smaller businesses.
	Continuation of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme until 2014/15, providing, subject to demand, over£2 billion of additional lending.
	Announced a new £50 million Business Angel Co-Investment Fund to encourage Business Angel investment.
	Continuation of the Government's Enterprise Capital Funds programme, increasing our commitment by £200 million, providing for more than £300 million of venture capital investment to address the equity gap for early stage innovative SMEs.
	Welcomed the report of the industry review of non-bank lending chaired by Tim Breedon and will take forward its recommendations, including encouraging prompt payment by larger firms.
	A £2.4 billion Regional Growth Fund operating across England from 2011 to 2015 which supports projects and programmes that lever private sector investment creating economic growth and sustainable employment.
	Ensuring that regulation supports business growth
	Introduced a ‘one-in, one-out’ rule whereby no new regulations which impose costs on businesses can be brought in without regulation of an equivalent value being removed.
	In April 2011 the Government introduced a three-year moratorium on new domestic regulation affecting micro businesses and genuine start-ups.
	The Red Tape Challenge is tackling the stock of regulation via a comprehensive thematic review which aims to identify regulations that could be removed, simplified or done in a different way.
	Addressing the way in which regulation is enforced at the front line through a series of sector-based reviews of enforcement to examine whether national and local regulatory enforcement was being undertaken and placing the minimum necessary burden on business.
	To reduce barriers to businesses taking on new staff Government has announced significant deregulation of employment law, including increasing the unfair dismissal qualifying period from one to two years from 6 April 2012.
	Encouraging exporting SMEs
	Government will spend £35 million to double, from 25,000 to 50,000, the number of SMEs that UKTI supports a year by 2015. Many components of the UKTI product are aimed at SMEs:
	Passport to Export is a trade development programme offering new and inexperienced exporters help and support to build the capability to start exporting proactively and make their first visit to an export market. Launched in 2001, it has helped around 14,000 SMEs as of January 2012.
	Gateway to Global Growth offers experienced SME exporters the opportunity to increase their exporting skills and awareness of what is on offer from UKTI and private sector suppliers. The aim is to help them enter more difficult markets or expand in existing ones.
	Market Visit Support provides assistance to new to export and/or new to market SMEs visiting overseas markets, individually or in groups as part of their trade development process.
	Budget 2012 set out an ambition to more than double annual UK exports to £1 trillion by 2020 through additional measures including expanding the overseas role of UK Export Finance to enable it to develop finance packages that could help UK exporters secure opportunities identified through UK Trade and Investment's High Value Opportunities programme.
	Local Business Support
	Regenerate Pennine Lancashire (REGEN) is using £7.5 million regional growth fund funding to help SMEs create 3,000 jobs within an array of industries across Lancashire. They are calling the programme the Accelerating Business Growth programme which is a competitive grant scheme that helps fund business growth projects across Lancashire including Pendle. Currently 100 companies in Lancashire have expressed an interest in the programme. The current figures for Pendle are:
	11 Expressions of Interest, seven successful at EOI stage and progressed to Full Application, one awaiting assessment.
	12% of all Expressions of Interest come from Pendle companies.
	Lancashire Business Hub has been created to ensure that businesses across Lancashire have access to the full range of national and local support. Co-ordinated by the LEP, which acts as the accountable body, the Growth Hub offers access to funding, mentoring and other business advice.

Business: Staffordshire

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase the level of access to credit for businesses in (a) Cannock Chase constituency and (b) Staffordshire in each of the last two years.

Michael Fallon: The Government have a range of schemes in place to support small businesses access credit across the country, such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) and the Funding for Lending scheme launched by the Bank of England in July. To deliver value for money and ease of access for business they are predominantly delivered at a national level.
	Since the launch of Enterprise Finance Guarantee, 32 EFG-backed loans worth £2.66 million have been utilised by companies in Cannock Chase, and 313 loans worth over £30 million by companies in Staffordshire.
	In addition, the Black Country Reinvestment Society (Community Development Finance Institution) has been accredited to provide EFG loans to viable businesses based in Staffordshire.
	British Bankers Association (BBA) data show that £412 million of new loans were extended to small and medium sized businesses in the first quarter of this year, the latest period for which figures are available.

Combined Heat and Power: Taxation

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on refineries and petrochemical plants of the withdrawal of levy exemption certificates in 2013.

Sajid Javid: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	The impacts of removing the exemption are set out in the Tax Information and Impact Note published at Budget 2012. This can be found on the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/tiin-0700.pdf
	This Government is committed to creating an environment that supports manufacturing within the UK and continues to incentivise Combined Heat and Power (CHP) overall through public subsidy. The Department of Energy and Climate Change is looking at alternative ways to address barriers to investment in good-quality CHP plants.

Conditions of Employment

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has received representations from the International Labour Organisation on the potential effects on growth and labour market participation of his proposals to permit workers to trade employment rights for shares in the company for which they work.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not received any representations from the International Labour Organisation on this issue.

Construction: Pendle

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to support the construction industry in Pendle constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The Government is actively working to help all construction firms including those in Pendle.
	Returning the UK to sustainable and balanced growth is a key priority for the Government and construction has a central role to play in this. Working closely with the construction industry, we are therefore:
	Removing barriers to growth by tackling the planning system, the burden of regulation and access to finance. The Government is also looking at a number of other issues which may constrain the industry's ability to respond to future growth such as a lack of skills.
	Stimulating infrastructure development and improvement. The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) sets out the overarching view of our forthcoming infrastructure needs. It contains major spending commitments to improve our transport and broadband networks as well as steps to attract major new private sector investment. It has identified a pipeline of over 500 projects, including the top 40 priority infrastructure investments that are critical for growth.
	Ensuring Government plays a full role as a key customer of the industry. The public sector accounts for about 30% of the construction industry's output.
	Looking for new opportunities and identifying how they can best be exploited including realising the opportunities of the developing green economy, overseas markets and more effective use of ICT through Building Information Management (BIM).
	Stimulating the house building industry. We are committed to seeing a major increase in the supply of new homes where they are needed and wanted. Our housing strategy, ‘Laying the Foundations—A Housing Strategy for England’, published last November, announced an ambitious package of measures to increase significantly the supply of affordable homes. This includes £1.34 billion to support developers and local partners in investing in new homes and infrastructure through the £570 million Get Britain Building investment fund which will unlock stalled housing sites and enable the building of up to 16,000 new homes and the £770 million Growing Places Fund which is allowing local enterprise partnerships to invest in infrastructure that will help to create new homes and jobs.
	On 6 September we announced a further major housing and planning package, which includes £780 million to unlock 70,000 new homes and create 140,000 new jobs plus a £10 billion guarantee to support investment in new homes.

Construction: Sunderland

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to support the construction industry in Sunderland.

Michael Fallon: The Government is actively working to help construction firms including those in Sunderland.
	Returning the UK to sustainable and balanced growth is a key priority for the Government and construction has a central role to play in this. Working closely with the construction industry, we are therefore:
	Removing barriers to growth—by tackling the planning system, the burden of regulation and access to finance. The Government is also looking at a number of other issues which may constrain the industry's ability to respond to future growth such as a lack of skills.
	Stimulating infrastructure development and improvement—The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) sets out the overarching view of our forthcoming infrastructure needs. It contains major spending commitments to improve our transport and broadband networks as well as steps to attract major new private sector investment. It has identified a pipeline of over 500 projects, including the top 40 priority infrastructure investments that are critical for growth.
	Ensuring Government plays a full role as a key customer of the industry—The Public Sector accounts for about 30% of the construction industry's output.
	Looking for new opportunities and identifying how they can best be exploited including realising the opportunities of the developing green economy, overseas markets and more effective use of ICT through Building Information Management (BIM).
	Stimulating the house building industry—We are committed to seeing a major increase in the supply of new homes where they are needed and wanted. Our Housing Strategy, 'Laying the Foundations - A Housing Strategy for England', published last November, announced an ambitious package of measures to increase significantly the supply of affordable homes.
	This includes £1.34 billion to support developers and local partners in investing in new homes and infrastructure through the £570 million Get Britain Building investment fund, which will unlock stalled housing sites and enable the building of up to 16,000 new homes and the £770 million Growing Places Fund, which is allowing Local Enterprise Partnerships to invest in infrastructure that will help to create new homes and jobs. The North East Local Enterprise Partnership, which covers Sunderland, has been allocated £25 million from the Growing Places Fund.
	On 6 September we announced a further major housing and planning package, which includes £780 million to unlock 70,000 new homes and create 140,000 new jobs plus a £10 billion guarantee to support investment in new homes.

Higher Education: Admissions

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UK-based students entered university courses in each academic year since 2006 in (a) the west midlands and (b) England.

David Willetts: holding answer 17 October 2012
	The latest available information on UK-domiciled entrants to (a) west midlands (region) and (b) English higher education institutions is shown in the following table for the academic years 2006/07 to 2010/11. Information for the 2011/12 academic year will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2013.
	
		
			 UK-domiciled-entrants(2) by level of study English higher education institutions academic years 2006/07 to 2010/11 
			  All English HEIs West midlands HEIs 
			 Academic year Postgraduate Undergraduate Total Postgraduate Undergraduate Total 
			 2006/07 152,330 579,435 731,765 12,895 53,270 66,165 
			 2007/08 149,795 590,805 740,600 12,550 56,840 69,390 
			 2008/09 164,695 628.915 793,610 13,470 57,730 71,200 
			 2009/10 176,675 635,935 812,610 14,445 61,275 75,720 
			 2010/11 171,210 599,130 770,340 15,105 61,325 76,430 
			 (1) Domicile refers to a student's permanent or home address prior to entry to their course. (2) Covers students in their first year of study. Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record.

Higher Education: Admissions

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of pupils in (a) Ashfield, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England and Wales went on to higher education in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: The estimated proportions of maintained schools pupils who progressed to higher education by age 19 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Estimated proportions of maintained schools pupils who progressed to higher education by age 19 in the academic year given UK higher education institutions and English further education institutions 
			 Percentage 
			  2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 Nottinghamshire n/a 28 27 29 29 
			 East Midlands n/a 30 30 31 32 
			 England 30 31 31 33 34 
			 n/a = Not available Source: Matched data from the DFE National Pupil Database, the HESA Student Record and the SFA ILR 
		
	
	Figures below national level are not available before 2006/07. BIS does not hold comparable data for Wales. Robust figures by parliamentary constituency are not available from this source.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) recently produced analysis of young participation rates in higher education for small areas over a five-year span. HEFCE estimates the average progression rate by age 19 for Ashfield parliamentary constituency to be 21% from 2005/06 to 2009/10. HEFCE figures are not comparable with those produced by BIS above as they use different methodology. HEFCE figures use population estimates while the BIS figures use matched data covering maintained schools pupils.
	Information on progression of pupils to higher education is available from the BIS Widening Participation statistical release of August 2012.
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/higher-education/official-statistics-releases/widening-participation-in-higher-education/widening-participation-in-higher-education-2012
	The HEFCE report on young participation is available from the following link:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2012/201226/#d.en.75676
	Detailed information is available at the following link:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/wp/ourresearch/polar/polar3data/

Loans: Interest Charges

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of marketing techniques employed by providers of very high interest loans.

Jo Swinson: The Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) review of high-cost credit in 2009/10 assessed the provision of very high interest loans and the Consumer Credit and Personal Insolvency Review (CCPIR) in 2010/11 subsequently sought views on the OFTs recommendations. In launching the CCPIR call for evidence, the Government were particularly concerned about the way in which some forms of credit were marketed. The Government's response in November 2011 made clear that we recognised the widespread concerns about the high cost credit market and, as a result, we have been taking forward a number of legislative and non-legislative interventions, including:
	Agreement with the payday lending trade bodies to improve their codes of practice to deliver enhanced consumer protections and increased transparency;
	The OFT’s investigations into regulatory compliance by the payday lending industry and into lenders' misuse of Continuous Payment Authority when recovering loan repayment;
	Announcement to give the OFT the power to suspend consumer credit licences with immediate effect where there is evidence of serious consumer detriment;
	Research commissioned from the University of Bristol Personal Finance Research Centre to assess the impact of a total cost of credit cap in the high cost credit market, which will help inform our policy thinking in this area; and
	A further investment of £38 million announced by the Department of Work and Pensions to expand the credit union network and therefore improve access to credit union loans which can provide a real alternative to high cost credit.

London Metropolitan University

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of recent events concerning London Metropolitan University; and whether his Department expects this to affect future applications from international students.

David Willetts: The Government's priority was to ensure legitimate overseas students affected by the decision to revoke London Metropolitan University's highly trusted status were given the support required to continue their studies.
	The Government established a taskforce, led by the Higher Education Council for England (HEFCE), to work with London Metropolitan University to support appropriately qualified legitimate students to find another institution to continue their studies in the UK. The Government also created an emergency fund of up to £2 million to allow affected students to claim back fees for reapplying for visas and discretionary payments to cover, for example, lost deposits on accommodation due to having to move somewhere else to study. Following the recent decision of the High Court, legitimate non-EU students are able to remain at London Metropolitan University until their course has ended or the end of the academic year, whichever is sooner.
	Our universities are among the best in the world and remain a top class destination for international students. It is too early to say what impact, if any, the revocation decision might have on future applications. Education exports are a key part of our new industrial strategy.

London Metropolitan University

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 518W, on London Metropolitan University, whether he has received a detailed assessment from (a) the Higher Education Funding Council for England or (b) London Metropolitan University on the financial implications for London Metropolitan University of losing its Highly Trusted Sponsor status and its Tier 4 sponsor licence.

David Willetts: It is still too early to assess the detailed financial impact of the UK Border Agency revocation. The recent High Court ruling has allowed a significant number of students the opportunity to continue their studies at London Metropolitan University until the end of their courses or the end of the academic year, whichever is the sooner. All students have been offered the opportunity and support to transfer to another institution. We will not know until later in the recruitment cycle how many chose to do what.
	The university is developing detailed financial plans for 2012-13 and beyond. These plans will be shared with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) when it is feasible to assess the overall financial impact on the institution. HEFCE continues to monitor the short and medium term sustainability of the institution and has been provided with assurances that there are no immediate concerns.

Manufacturing Advice Service

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills since the launch of the Manufacturing Advice Service (MAS) in January 2012, how many jobs have been (a) created and (b) safeguarded as a result; and what assessment he has made of MAS's contribution to economic growth.

Michael Fallon: 755 business improvement consultancy projects have been completed between the launch of the new national Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) in January and 30 September 2012. The businesses receiving this support have forecast that up to 2,571 jobs could be created, 7,270 safeguarded and £234.19 million generated in economic growth (Gross Value Added) within 12 months following the intervention. The job creation figures will be verified by MAS next year and an evaluation will be undertaken to assess the additionality of MAS support.

Minimum Wage

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of seafarers earning the national minimum wage who were subject to an accommodation offset in each year since 1998.

Jo Swinson: I refer the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran to the answer I gave on 15 October 2012, Official Report, column 253W.

Morecambe and Lunesdale: Funding

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding his Department has allocated to Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since 2010.

Jo Swinson: The Department does not hold details of funding allocated to each individual constituency and unfortunately the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

New Businesses

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of business start-ups in each constituent part of the UK since May 2012.

Michael Fallon: The latest available official data on the number of business start-ups in the constituent parts of the UK relates to 2010. See:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/business-demography/2010/index.html
	Data for 2011 will be published by the Office for National Statistics in December 2012.

Regional Growth Fund

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to increasing the Regional Growth Fund allocation to banks who have successfully lent their existing allocation to small and medium-sized businesses.

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and the wider ministerial panel considered a range of bids from a number of organisations that were submitted in Regional Growth Fund (RGF) Round 3. Details of bidders selected to go forward for due diligence and contracting were made public earlier today.

Regional Growth Fund

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of the Regional Growth Fund on bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses.

Michael Fallon: The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is a £2.4 billion fund intended to support projects and programmes with significant potential for economic growth that can create additional, sustainable private sector employment. It aims particularly to help those areas and communities which were dependent on the public sector to make the transition to sustainable private sector-led growth and prosperity. It is not focused specifically on supporting bank lending, and the majority of funding is disbursed as equity-like grant funding.
	However, under the scheme in Rounds 1 and 2, two banks have agreed to help distribute the RGF to help SMEs who would not be able to access the RGF directly. For example, over 700 such companies have been supported with grants allowing them to leverage almost £140 million of bank lending and so buy assets and support the employment of 8,679 people.

Reserve Forces

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many reservists are employed by his Department.

Jo Swinson: The HR System in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) does not hold this information. Therefore it is not known how many reservists are employed in the Department.

Students: Loans

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has met representatives of the New College of the Humanities to discuss whether their students can receive loans from the Student Loans Company; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: holding answer 18 October 2012
	I have not met representatives of the New College of the Humanities to discuss whether their students can receive loans from the Student Loans Company.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the National Audit Office report, Central Government's implementation of the national Compact.

Jo Swinson: holding answer 13 September 2012
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) views the Compact with great importance and is committed to implementing the NAO's recommendations.
	To this end BIS works closely with the third sector and maintains regular consultative dialogue with the third sector National Learning Alliance (TSNLA) to ensure that Third Sector interests are taken into account appropriately and systematically.
	Earlier in 2012 BIS commissioned research from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) to identify what barriers stand in the way of achieving Government's ambitions for the third sector. This research will culminate in November 2012 in implementation strategies for the sector and support bodies to take forward.
	Supported by TSNLA, LSIS works closely with the third sector to enable access to their services by third sector providers. In June 2012 the NIACE grant letter 2012-13 was updated to include a commitment to supporting the third sector achieve its potential in the delivery of learning and skills.
	In the consumer-focused voluntary sector, BIS sponsors both Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland—the umbrella bodies for the Citizens Advice service across England and Wales and in Scotland. BIS provides core grant in aid funding to both charities under schedule 274 of the Enterprise Act. This funding enables the two bodies to provide essential central services to their customers namely the network of Citizens Advice Bureaux. In return, the services also to provide central Government with real-time data on the issues facing the public on a wide number of social policy issues.

UK Research Partnership Investment Fund

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many bids he has received to the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund to date; how many have been unsuccessful; and from what region each successful and unsuccessful bid came;
	(2)  by what date he expects successful bidders to receive allocated funds under the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund; and what deadline he has set in relation to that process;
	(3)  on what date Higher Education Funding Council for England began carrying out due diligence on bids taken forward under the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund;
	(4)  with reference to his announcement that bidding for funds under the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund has re-opened, when bidding is expected to close.

David Willetts: holding answer 18 October 2012
	In October, the Government announced additional funding of £200 million for the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), to add to £100 million provided in Budget 2012, to enable universities to lever in private sector and charity co-investment into long-term strategic research partnerships. This will further enhance the facilities for world class university research and help build strategic partnerships between universities, businesses and charities across the UK, supporting long-term economic growth.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), working with counterparts in the devolved Administrations, is responsible for managing the fund, including developing detailed arrangements for a competitive process, for project assessment and all decisions on project selection. The fund is available for large capital research projects, and will provide between £10 million and £35 million to projects which secure at least twice that amount in private or charitable co-investment. Proposals have been assessed by an independent Assessment Panel, chaired by Peter Saraga, against published criteria including value for money and the how much they build on existing strong research capability, regardless of specific geographic location.
	HEFCE issued a call for expressions of interest in the fund in May 2012 to all higher education institutions across the UK. Full details are available at
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2012/201212/
	These were considered by the independent assessment panel in June, and a number were invited to submit full proposals over the summer. On receipt of the full proposals by 23 August, HEFCE initiated a process of detailed appraisal, including assessment by the assessment panel and related due diligence.
	HEFCE will announce a full list of successful projects shortly and will include information on the number of bids received and their geographical breakdown. After reflecting further on the first bidding round, HEFCE will announce a further call for new and reworked proposals in due course. In accordance with normal HEFCE funding arrangements, successful projects will draw down their allocation from HEFCE as relevant project expenditure is incurred over the remainder of the spending review.

US Securities and Exchange Commission

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effects (a) in the UK and (b) internationally of the US Securities and Exchange Commission rule-making on project level reporting in the extractive industries under section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Jo Swinson: holding answer 18 October 2012
	The rules introduced by the Securities and Exchange Commission are an important step in the creation of a global standard for transparency in the extractive industries. They provide a benchmark against which efforts to agree strong EU transparency laws will be measured. The Securities and Exchange Commission has included an economic analysis of its new rules within its ‘Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers, Final Rule’, published on 22 August 2012. Details can be found at:
	www.sec.gov/rules/final/2012/34-67717.pdf

Vocational Training

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to promote re-skilling initiatives in the UK.

Matthew Hancock: The Government are clear that in order for the UK to compete globally, we must have a world-class skills base across all sectors. Employers and professional representative bodies are best placed to know what skills their sectors need and to deliver these to the British workforce. This demand-led model was given life by the publication of “Skills for Sustainable Growth” in November 2010. “New Challenges New Chances”, published in December 2011, reaffirmed our approach and set out Government's plans for skills to 2015. We launched the Employer Ownership Pilot in November 2011 as a further step to achieving business ownership of the skills agenda. It is giving employers direct access to up to £250 million of public investment for training and apprenticeships over the next two years. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), recently announced the first successful bids from the first round of the pilot—34 bids will be supported by an expected £67 million of public investment, backed by £98 million of employer investment.
	We are continuing the important work to improve and expand apprenticeships, particularly at Levels 3 and 4, to ensure that businesses have the skills required to compete, and that individuals have opportunities to re-skill throughout their careers. £25 million from the Higher Apprenticeship Fund has been allocated to 30 projects which will provide over 25,000 new Higher Apprenticeship places over the next three years. The new Higher Apprenticeships will be available in sectors including renewable energy, advanced engineering, insurance, space, retail and hospitality.
	To help create apprenticeship opportunities, and to promote the programme amongst smaller employers, in April this year Government introduced incentive payments of £1,500 for smaller employers who take on young apprentices aged 16-24. The total number of incentive places available in 2012/13 is 40,000.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2012

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the reason was for the time taken for the entry into force of the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2012.

Gregory Barker: A technical issue came to light over the summer around the application of “in-use factors” in ECO. In-use factors adjust the carbon scores for each energy efficiency measure to reflect its likely real-world, rather than theoretical, performance.
	In modelling the expected outputs for ECO, and setting the proposed legal targets for the scheme, the inclusion of “in-use” factors was assumed. However, the secondary legislation giving effect to the Green Deal and ECO policies did not in every relevant instance incorporate the provisions necessary to ensure that in use factors are applied.
	As this would have created uncertainty for parties such as those who are obligated under the scheme, DECC launched a short consultation on 30 August with a view to correcting this anomaly and providing the clarity that is needed. This consultation has now closed and DECC proposes to bring a revised Order back to the House at the earliest opportunity, with a view to its coming into force by 1 January 2013.
	We do not expect this to make much, if any, practical difference to delivery on the ground. Households will continue to benefit from energy efficiency and heating measures delivered under existing schemes such as Warm Front and CERT and we intend to include a provision in the amended Order that will allow energy companies to carry forward ECO activity delivered from 1 October and score it against their ECO targets.

E-mail

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidance his Department has issued to (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers on the use of personal e-mails for official departmental business.

Gregory Barker: Ministers, SPADs and DECC officials are all informed on appointment that non-DECC e-mail accounts should not be used for official departmental business. Ministers also have a personal DECC account which is separate from their shared office mailbox and allows them to communicate by Blackberry. Guidance has been issued for their use.

Energy: Meters

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with energy companies on using the universal credit system to allow pre-paid meter customers to move onto credit meters;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with energy companies on allowing pre-paid meter customers to move onto credit meters.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with energy suppliers on a range of issues.
	Ofgem is responsible for regulating gas and electricity markets, including the rules that govern switching energy supplier. Prepayment meter customers who are not in debt may switch payment method or supplier at anytime. From 1 November, under the Debt Assignment Protocol, the six big suppliers have agreed with Ofgem to increase the limit that a prepayment meter customer with a debt can switch supplier from £200 to £500.
	It would be for Ofgem to consider whether further regulatory protection is required, such as the introduction of an universal credit system to enable prepayment. customers in debt to switch to another payment method.

Energy: Prices

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the merits of reducing energy tariffs for people who live in housing that cannot take advantage of energy efficiency measures.

Gregory Barker: Setting of tariffs is a commercial matter for the companies concerned.
	The energy company obligation requires energy suppliers to provide extra help for those most in need and for properties that are harder to treat.

Energy: Prices

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to limit gas and electricity price rises.

Gregory Barker: Gas and electricity prices for households consumers are a commercial matter for the companies concerned, who are regulated by Ofgem.
	DECC is already taking a number of steps to help consumers, particularly the vulnerable, with their energy bills. Programmes such as the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, Warm Front, Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation will make homes more energy efficient. In addition, the Warm Home Discount provides £1.1 billion of support up to 2015 to help 2 million low income and vulnerable households annually.
	As recently announced by the Prime Minister, DECC will also bring forward legislation to help consumers get the lowest tariff for them.

Energy: Storage

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what support his Department provides to projects for liquid air energy storage.

Gregory Barker: On 19 October 2012, DECC launched two new innovation support competitions for energy storage research and development. Both competitions (outlined as follows) are open to any type of energy storage technology—including liquid air energy storage—which could address grid-scale storage and balancing needs in the UK electricity transmission or distribution networks.
	DECC's energy storage competitions have been launched in recognition of the potential role for energy storage in enabling low carbon technologies and supporting security of supply, as highlighted in the Electricity Network and Storage Technology Innovation Needs Assessment summary report published recently by the Low Carbon Innovation Co-ordination Group (LCICG).
	The Energy Storage Technology Demonstration Competition, with a budget of up to £17 million, will offer organisations the opportunity to secure contracts to develop and demonstrate pre-commercial innovative energy storage technologies which can address grid-scale storage needs for the UK electricity network in the run up to 2020 and beyond.
	DECC's Energy Storage Component Research and Feasibility Study Competition, with a budget of up to £3 million, will offer grant funding on a competitive basis to develop components or materials used for energy storage systems or to develop feasibility studies to further explore how storage systems work and how they can be used in the UK electricity network.
	Further details of the DECC energy storage competitions, including the key dates and eligibility and selection criteria, can be found at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/funding/funding_ops/innovation/innov_fund/storage/storage.aspx

Fuel Poverty

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number of children under five years old living in fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: Fuel poverty is measured at a household rather than an individual level. In 2010, the latest year for which data are available, 271,000 households containing a child under five were estimated to be in fuel poverty. This equates to 9.6% of households containing a child under five.
	We are committed to helping low income, vulnerable households heat their homes affordably. Households with young children and in receipt of qualifying benefits may be able to access assistance to improve the energy efficiency of their home through the Warm Front scheme. In addition, a discount may be available on their energy bill through the Warm Home Discount Broader Group.

Heating: Renewable Energy

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department is developing guidance on the EU draft directive requiring all towns to have a heat plan by the end of 2013 to cover utilisation of waste heat.

Gregory Barker: Article 14 of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive requires member states to conduct a detailed assessment of the national potential for district heating and cooling, including mapping heating and cooling demand and supply points by 31 December 2015. This Article also requires that, when authorising new or substantially refurbished installations, member states shall ensure that a cost benefit assessment is conducted considering the case for recovering industrial waste heat for use in district heating. The directive does not require individual towns to develop heat plans and will not start to take effect until 2014.
	As the directive has not yet been published our plans for its transposition are at an early stage. Transposition of the cost benefit assessment requirements appears to lend itself best to implementation via the Environmental Permitting regime, which would be likely to include development of guidance for applicants for permits. The Government envisages consulting on transposing regulations and draft guidance in mid 2013.
	DECC published “The Future of Heating: A strategic framework for low carbon heat in the UK” in March 2012:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/heat/4805-future-heating-strategic-framework.pdf
	Alongside this, the Department published a national heat map which maps heat demand in industry and public, commercial and residential buildings, as well as indicating the location of powerplant and combined heat and power schemes as potential sources of heat:
	http://ceo.decc.gov.uk/nationalheatmap/
	We are now developing a heat policy publication for March 2013, building on this earlier work. This will cover the utilisation of waste heat and optimal levels of district heating in the UK.

Low Carbon Networks Fund

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the source of funding for the Low Carbon Networks Fund is.

Gregory Barker: The majority of funding for the Low Carbon Networks Fund is secured through Distribution Use of System charges which form part of consumer energy bills.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what subsidies, grants or loans are available to bus service operators; and when such funds first became available;
	(2)  when the reduction in the Bus Service Operators Grant will come into effect; and when this was formally communicated to bus service operators.

Norman Baker: Bus subsidy arrangements within Wales are a devolved matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Bus Services: Rural Areas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the provision of rural bus services; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: Statistics on the levels of bus services in all areas of England are available on the Department for Transport's website at
	www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/buses/
	Outside London, the provision of bus and community transport services in any area is a matter for commercial operators and for local authorities.
	However, it has long been clear that for some isolated communities traditional public transport is not a cost- effective option. In such circumstances, the Government supports, where achievable, the establishment of community bus services or other more flexible forms of transport.
	In recognition of the important role they play in delivering local services, I have provided a total of £20 million across two rounds of our Supporting Community Transport Fund between 2010-11 and 2011-12. This funding has been distributed to 76 local transport authorities (councils and passenger transport executives) to support the establishment and development of more community transport links to employment and services in rural areas.

Great Western Main Line

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of demand for direct non-stop services between Cardiff and London Paddington following completed electrification of the Great Western Mainline; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Government have not made any assessment of demand for non-stop services between Cardiff and London Paddington.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions representatives of the Government have had with overseas investors on the potential funding of the HS2 project; and which such investors have been approached about such funding.

Simon Burns: UK Infrastructure is attractive to potential investors, and therefore it is to be expected that the Government would receive inquiries about future opportunities during other routine discussions. My Department has made it clear that we will explore the scope for third party funding and financing, but we are not currently at a stage in the process where we would seek to take forward detailed discussions with potential investors.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet representatives of HS2 Action Alliance within the next four weeks to discuss the HS2 project.

Simon Burns: HS2 Action Alliance wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), on his appointment setting out their concerns about HS2. I recently wrote to the group clarifying the Government's position on some of those concerns though on the group's specific request for a meeting, due to other pressures, it is not possible to meet at the current time. However the Department will continue to engage with the group and provide the information the group is seeking wherever possible.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library all correspondence, emails and documents concerning financial matters and expenditure on HS2 exchanged between HS2 Ltd and all Government Departments and Ministers to date.

Simon Burns: HS2 Ltd is a company established by the government to develop and deliver a new national high speed rail network. As such, HS2 Ltd regularly exchanges information on a range of issues, including financial matters, with Government Departments and Ministers.
	Extensive information on the company's finances and expenditure is in the public domain. The company's annual accounts are published on its website at
	http://www.hs2.org.uk/accounts
	The Department for Transport publishes monthly files of payment transactions in accordance with the Prime Minister's requirements on transparency and subsequent HM Treasury guidance. This information includes HS2 Ltd and is available at
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/financial-transactions-data-dft

HM Coastguard: Risk Management

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the system of risk management used by HM Coastguard was last reviewed.

Stephen Hammond: The system of risk management used by HM Coastguard is kept under continuous review.

HM Coastguard: Risk Management

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the risk management systems of HM Coastguard will be reviewed following the closure of Forth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

Stephen Hammond: HM Coastguard will continue to keep its risk management systems under review.

Liverpool Port

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what terms Liverpool city council has repaid £8.8 million to operate turnaround calls at Liverpool International Cruise Terminal.

Stephen Hammond: This sum was paid in full on 26 September 2012 as two capital elements: £7.0 million to the Homes and Communities Agency (in respect of grant paid by the North West Development Agency); and £1.8 million to the Department for Communities and Local Government (in respect of other grants).

Motorways: Newcastle Upon Tyne

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to provide funding for a dual carriageway between Newcastle and the border with Scotland.

Stephen Hammond: The Department has no current plans to develop or fund dual carriageway proposals between Newcastle and the border with Scotland within this spending review period.
	In preparing for future investment decisions, the Department will be considering the current and future forecast performance of the strategic road network to identify and prioritise the scale of identified problems.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the likely carbon emission reductions arising from the introduction of the renewable transport fuel obligation.

Norman Baker: The renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) has been in operation since April 2008 and the RTFO Administrator reports, among other things, on the performance of biofuels supplied in the UK in respect of annual greenhouse gas emissions savings. Statistics are available via the Department for Transport's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/biofuels
	Verified data for obligation years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 suggest that 46%, 51% and 57% greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil fuels were achieved respectively in those obligation years. Unverified data for obligation year 2011-12 suggest that 62% greenhouse gas savings would be achieved in respect of fuel reported to the RTFO Administrator between April and December 2011. These figures exclude emissions from indirect land use changes. Verified data for obligation year 2011-12 will be available in due course.

Rescue Services: Scotland

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects equipment at Shetland Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre and Aberdeen Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre to be upgraded.

Stephen Hammond: The equipment at Aberdeen and Shetland MRCCs will not need to be upgraded until migration to the national network.
	In respect of the interim arrangements prior to the implementation of the new national network, there is no requirement to change to equipment at either of these MRCCs. However the connectivity of remote radio sites from Aberdeen into Shetland will be altered in order to better balance the radio resources between these two centres.

Rescue Services: Scotland

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in staffing levels at Aberdeen Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre on levels of service.

Stephen Hammond: HM Coastguard keeps staffing levels for all Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres under continuous review. Plans are in place to ensure that staffing levels continue to be sufficient at Aberdeen MRCC to maintain levels of service.

Rescue Services: Scotland

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investment has been made in equipment at Shetland Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre and Aberdeen Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre following the closure of Forth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

Stephen Hammond: There has been no requirement to change equipment at either of these MRCCs; HM Coastguard is utilising existing ‘Quadrant' technology.
	However the connectivity of remote radio sites from Aberdeen into Shetland will be altered in order to better balance the radio resources between these two centres. Additionally one Automated Identification System terminal, used for Vessel Traffic Monitoring (VTM) is being migrated to Shetland from Forth MRCC to provide enhanced operational resilience.

Roads: Accidents

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to address the growth in road casualties in the most recent quarter.

Stephen Hammond: In the most recent reported quarter (January to March 2012) there were 420 people killed in reported road accidents, 6% less than the first quarter of 2011. Overall estimated total number of casualties fell by 2% despite numbers of killed or seriously injured casualties rising by 3%.
	Since the publication of the “Strategic Framework for Road Safety” in May 2011, the Department has taken a number of the steps to reduce the number of road casualties, as envisaged in the framework. They include steps on all three of the thematic chapters of the framework.
	Firstly on ‘improving road safety together’, the road safety comparison site, road safety observatory, speed limit assessment tool and a revised speed limit circular are all well advanced and on track for completion during the next few months.
	Secondly on ‘education’, we have already made changes to the driving tests and changes to the educational scheme for drink drive offenders are progressing towards implementation.
	Thirdly on ‘targeted enforcement and sanctions’, we have consulted about the introduction of fixed penalty notices for careless driving and increased penalty fines. The bill containing enabling legislation to create a new specific drug driving offence is being considered in the House of Lords.
	The Department will continue with implementation of these and other measures as set out in the strategic framework. Updates on this can be viewed here:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/strategic-framework-for-road-safety/action-plan-update.pdf

Roads: Barnsley

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents occurred due to (a) motorists and (b) cyclists failing to stop at red traffic lights in Barnsley Central constituency in the last two years for which figures are available.

Stephen Hammond: The data on factors contributing to road accidents are not broken down below regional level since the number of accidents can often be small and therefore it may be possible to identify the individuals involved in an accident.
	However, the numbers of personal injury road accidents in the Yorkshire and the Humber region where “disobeyed automatic traffic signal” was a contributory factor for (a) motor vehicles and (b) cyclists in the years 2010 and 2011 are as follows:
	
		
			  Motor vehicles Cyclists 
			 2010 149 10 
			 2011 144 4

Roads: EU Action

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on negotiations on the EU Roadworthiness Package.

Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), will be attending an initial debate at the European Council on 29 October. Consideration of any announcement will be made after this meeting.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what process is in place for approving the Highways Agency's strategic plan; and what process is in place to ensure that new schemes are included in the strategic plan.

Stephen Hammond: The current Highways Agency’s Strategic Plan sets out its vision and goals for the years 2010 to 2015. Details of the HA's activities, business context, budgets, performance measures, and major schemes, are included in its annual Business Plan, which is approved by the Secretary of State. The 2012-13 Business Plan sets out major road schemes in the approved programme—including those announced at the 29 November 2011 Autumn Statement, Official Report, columns 799-810—and notes that the agency will announce construction dates on schemes in future years on an annual basis as part of the departmental and HA planning process.
	The Department for Transport is currently working on a long-term strategy for the strategic road network. The strategy will define the high-level process and key mechanisms for identifying long-term investment needs and priorities for the network. The Department's aim is to begin consultation on the strategy before the end of the year.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which level of officials at the Highways Agency can approve spending on roads; and at what seniority investments (a) under £100,000, (b) between £100,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 and £10 million, (d) between £10 and £50 million, (e) between £50 and £100 million and (f) over £100 million can be made.

Stephen Hammond: The Highways Agency has the following grading structure in its organisation:
	
		
			 Grade Description 
			 PB1 Administrative assistant 
			 PB2 Administrative officer 
			 PB3 Executive officer 
			 PB4 Higher Executive officer 
			 PB5 Higher Executive officer 
			 PB6 Senior Executive officer 
			 PB7 Head of Department 
		
	
	
		
			 PB8 Divisional manager 
			 SCSI Divisional Director 
			 SCS2 Director 
			 SCS3 Chief Executive 
		
	
	The two main types of spend on roads are major projects, such as road widening, and maintenance, including renewals and enhancements. In general, projects valued at over £20 million are delivered by the Major Projects teams in the Highways Agency.
	For financial approval for Major Projects, the letting of any contract will need approval from The Chief Executive (Grade SCS3). The Chief Executive/SCS3 will also need to approve any price increases in projects.
	For financial approval for Maintenance, including renewals and enhancements, the award of work can be approved by the following:
	£0 to £0.5 million: PB7
	£0.5 million to £5 million: PB8
	£5 million to £20 million: SCS 2
	£20 million and over: SCS3.
	In addition to these financial controls all procurements are approved by a holder of procurement delegations. For all contracts over £10,000 this contractual approval would be exercised within the Procurement Division, limits vary by category of spend but generally allow approval within the Procurement management group responsible. For the largest contracts, the delegations would be exercised by the Procurement Director.

Roads: Safety

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road safety officers have been employed in the last two years.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport does not collect information about how many road safety officers are employed. Local authorities have a statutory obligation to provide road safety, but decisions about whether to employ road safety officers are a matter for local authorities to determine.

Transport: Exhaust Emissions

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the recommendation by the Committee on Climate Change to include international aviation and shipping emissions in carbon budgets.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), has regular discussions with his Cabinet colleagues on a variety of issues, and will continue to engage closely with them before any decision is taken on this matter. Department for Transport officials are in regular contact with their opposite numbers in other Government Departments on this issue, as well as with the Committee on Climate Change, ahead of the statutory deadline set out in the Climate Change Act (2008) of the end of 2012.

West Coast Railway Line

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the projected (a) cost and (b) revenue will be to his Department by using Directly Operated Rail to operate the West Coast Main Line in each of the next three years.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), on 15 October 2012, Official Report, column 7WS, that the Department for Transport is commencing negotiations with Virgin Rail Group.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether a procurement risk model was developed by his Department for the intercity west coast franchise competition;
	(2)  what testing his Department carried out to ensure the viability and efficacy of the (a) evaluation model, (b) financial evaluation model and (c) risk evaluation model for the west coast mainline franchise; who carried out such tests; when they took place; and what the findings were;
	(3)  how the risk assessment model for the west coast mainline franchise competition was designed; and who designed it;
	(4)  how the financial evaluation model for the west coast mainline franchise competition was designed; and who designed it;
	(5)  what the grade was of the official who signed off the evaluation model for the west coast mainline franchise for use; which Minister signed off its use; and on what dates;
	(6)  how the evaluation model for the west coast mainline franchise competition was designed; and who designed it.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State on 15 October 2012, Official Report, columns 46-47 and the terms of reference of the Laidlaw Inquiry which have been laid in the Library of the House. The Inquiry will look into the Department's handling of the competition for the InterCity West Coast franchise and lessons to be learned. It will provide initial findings to the Secretary of State by the end of October and a final report by the end of November.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) qualifications and (b) training was of each official of his Department who worked in the intercity west coast franchise procurement team; and how this assisted them in carrying out their role.

Simon Burns: The Department for Transport does not hold a centralised registry containing this information.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what meetings were held at board level to consider the progress of the intercity west coast franchise competition;
	(2)  at how many meetings his Department's board considered the intercity west coast franchise competition before it was launched; and what the date was of each such meeting;
	(3)  what formal role the board of his Department had in supervising the procurement process in respect of the intercity west coast franchise competition.

Simon Burns: The departmental board was not responsible for approving the award of the InterCity West Coast franchise competition. The Department's governance procedures for major contract awards did not require the board to be consulted.
	Under the Department's governance arrangements, responsibility for approval of funding decisions, value for money and commercial strategy for the InterCity West Coast franchise was delegated to the board's Investment and Commercial Committee, a formal sub-committee of the board. This committee considered the franchise competition a number of times during 2011 and 2012.
	The Laidlaw Inquiry will look at the roles and responsibilities of different advisory and decision making parties, within the Department (including the board Investment and Commercial Committee), and externally, in relation to the significant technical flaws that have been discovered. The Inquiry will look at how well these parties performed their roles, and what can be learned from this about the appropriate structure for governance and assurance of major contract awards.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State on 15 October 2012, Official Report, columns 46-47 and the terms of reference of the Laidlaw Inquiry which have been laid in the Library of the House.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates bid evaluation clarification meetings were held during the intercity west coast franchise competition; and who requested each such meeting.

Simon Burns: Bid evaluation clarification meetings were held with each of the four bidders for the InterCity West Coast franchise competition. These meetings took place on the 8, 11, 12 and 13 June 2012. The meetings were requested by the Department.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bid evaluation clarification meetings were held with each of the bidders in respect of the intercity west coast franchise.

Simon Burns: Bid evaluation clarification meetings were held with each of the four bidders for the InterCity West Coast franchise competition. These meetings took place on the 8, 11, 12 and 13 June 2012.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the tender evaluation guidance document was prepared and issued prior to the receipt of the bids for the inter-city west coast franchise.

Simon Burns: Tender evaluation guidance was made available on 20 January 2012 to all bidders in advance of the deadline for submitting their respective proposals. The Department for Transport published the guidance for the InterCity West Coast franchise on its website, where this guidance can be obtained by any interested party.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members there were of the tender evaluation team in respect of the inter-city west coast franchise; and what the grade was of each team member.

Simon Burns: The tenders for the InterCity West Coast franchise competition were evaluated by 10 directly employed DfT officials. Their grades were as follows:
	five pay band 6;
	four pay band 7; and
	one senior civil servant pay band 1.
	The DfT also used three contracted reviewers to evaluate the tenders.
	In addition there were 14 employees of Atkins who undertook evaluation of the West Coast bids.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he developed a risk mitigation plan for the collapse of the procurement process in respect of the inter-city west coast franchise competition.

Simon Burns: As a matter of course during all franchise competitions, and in order to satisfy the Secretary of State's obligation under section 30 of the Railways Act 1993, contingency plans are in place to ensure that there is continuity in the provision of railway passenger services.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether his Department is considering making a legal claim against the professional indemnity insurance of any of the external consultants involved in the West Coast Mainline franchise competition;
	(2)  whether his Department is considering taking legal action against any of its external consultants in respect of the West Coast Mainline franchise competition;
	(3)  whether his Department is considering making complaints to any professional body in respect of the professional services received from any external consultants in relation to the West Coast Mainline franchise.

Simon Burns: The Department has not taken any decisions in relation to these issues.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external firms of consultants were contracted or retained and used by his Department in respect of (a) franchising policy design, (b) writing the invitation to tender, (c) providing financial, risk or evaluation modelling, (d) advising his Department on bids, (e) advising the bidders on the process, (f) evaluating bids, (g) anonymising bids, (h) checking the evaluation of bids, (i) checking the pre-qualification assessments and (j) awarding the franchise in respect of the West Coast Mainline franchise.

Simon Burns: In respect of the InterCity West Coast franchise competition, WS Atkins were involved in:
	(b) Writing the Invitation To Tender
	(d) Advising the Department on bids
	(f) Evaluating bids
	Eversheds were involved in:
	(b) Writing the Invitation To Tender
	(j) Awarding the franchise
	and Faithful and Gould were involved in:
	(a) Franchising policy design
	No other external firms of consultants were contracted or retained and used by the Department in relation to this work.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what fixed fee his Department paid to WS Atkins in respect of work relating to the West Coast Mainline franchise; and how that fee was decided upon.

Simon Burns: The Department for Transport paid WS Atkins a fixed fee of £490,810 for their work on the InterCity West Coast franchise competition. This fee was decided through a competitive procurement process.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what fixed fee his Department paid to Eversheds LLP in respect of work relating to the West Coast Mainline franchise; and how that fee was decided upon.

Simon Burns: The Department for Transport paid Eversheds LLP a fixed fee of £439,000 for their work on the Intercity West Coast franchise competition. This fee was decided through a competitive procurement process.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the reports from the two investigations he has established following the cancellation of the West Coast Mainline franchise process.

Simon Burns: I refer my right hon. Friend to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), on 15 October 2012, Official Report, columns 46-47, and the terms of reference of the Laidlaw Inquiry and the Brown Review which have been laid in the Library of the House.
	The Laidlaw Inquiry will provide initial findings to the Secretary of State by the end of October and a final report by the end of November. The Brown Review will report by the end of December 2012.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultancies have worked or are working on revenue forecasts on both the West Coast Franchise bid and on High Speed 2, either for High Speed 2 Ltd or his Department.

Simon Burns: The Department for Transport was provided with advice on revenue forecasts for the cancelled West Coast Main Line franchise procurement by WS Atkins plc.
	The bulk of the analytical work to support HS2 is carried out by HS2 Ltd which is a non-departmental public body, and separate from the Department for Transport. To advise on the rail demand forecasts prepared for the Economic Case for HS2 published in January 2012, and subsequently updated in August 2012, HS2 Ltd contracted the following two consortia:
	1. MVA Consultancy (lead partner) and Mott MacDonald Group Ltd
	2. WS Atkins plc (lead partner) and Arup Group Ltd

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate which passenger numbers that have been erroneously used for the West Coast Mainline franchise bid affect the business case for HS2.

Simon Burns: The issues which have led to the cancellation of the Intercity West Coast franchise competition are completely unrelated to any work done on HS2. The Department has a well-established approach to passenger forecasting which is subject to a range of sensitivity tests, and we are confident that the modelling that has been undertaken in relation to HS2 is fit for purpose.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Khalid Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when he was first made aware of the issues with the tendering process for the West Coast Mainline franchise;
	(2)  who made the decision to make public the details of the issues with the West Coast Mainline franchise at 12.01 am.

Simon Burns: Shortly before the Cabinet reshuffle on 4 September 2012, officials informed the then Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), that their preparations for the legal challenge brought by Virgin Trains Limited had raised a potential technical concern about one aspect of the franchise process. The advice at the time was that there was no evidence that the issue would have made any difference to the outcome of the franchise competition. The Secretary of State immediately ordered officials to conduct further detailed examinations to reassure her that the process and decision arrived at remained robust.
	Following his appointment as Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), also asked officials to provide reassurances to him on the process given the ongoing legal challenge. Officials provided these reassurances and advised that they were looking into the process and decision, in line with the request of the previous Secretary of State. The potential area of concern in relation to the process was raised at this time, but again reassurances were provided that there was no evidence that this would have made any difference to the outcome.
	Increasingly detailed examinations carried out in line with the requests of Ministers and in anticipation of litigation revealed additional concerns with the way the competition had been implemented. This examination work was carried out by officials and was latterly aided by external advisors PwC, who started work on this project on 24 September.
	On 2 October, following completion of these detailed examinations, officials delivered their final opinion to the Secretary of State that the technical flaws were so significant that the competition would have to be cancelled and restarted. The Secretary of State then took the final decision to cancel the competition and acted immediately to make this fact known by informing the bidders concerned as soon as he feasibly could, during the evening of 2 October, and making the decision public at 00.01 hours on 3 October once all the bidders had been informed.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the civil servants who have been suspended pending inquiries into the West Coast Main Line franchise made contributions to any aspect of his Department's HS2 project.

Simon Burns: Three officials involved in the West Coast franchise competition have been suspended by the permanent secretary. I can provide no further details about the suspensions while the full facts are established. The development of HS2 is led by a separate team within the Department, and the bulk of the analytical work to support HS2 is carried out by HS2 Ltd which is an ‘arm’s-length’ organisation, and separate from the Department for Transport. The analysis carried out by HS2 Ltd is also subject to rigorous independent quality assurance.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the grade and role was of each official of his Department involved in (a) implementing the new franchising policy, (b) writing the franchise invitation to tender, (c) establishing the specifications for the tender, (d) anonymising each bid, (e) liaising with each bidder, (f) evaluating each bid, (g) risk assessing each bid and (h) drawing up recommendations to Ministers as to who to award the franchise to for the intercity West Coast franchise tender; and how many such officials were involved in each such area.

Simon Burns: The implementation of franchising policy in the Department is led by the Rail Franchising Policy Division. As of 17 October, this team was comprised of 21 officials, broken down by grade as follows:
	one senior civil servant at SCS payband 1;
	11 officials at DFT payband 7;
	seven officials at DFT payband 6; and
	two at DFT payband 4.
	These officials are supported at various stages by officials from Rail Commercial, Rail Analysis, Refranchising Programme Office, Procurement, Legal and other members of the senior civil service.
	The remaining tasks listed in the question were delivered through the West Coast Project Team, which comprised of 12 officials, and is broken down by grade as follows:
	eight at DFT payband 7;
	three at DFT payband 6; and
	one at DFT payband 5.
	These officials were similarly supported at various stages by other officials from across the Department.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role WS Atkins carried out on behalf of his Department in respect of (a) devising the changes to the rail franchising policy detailed in the White Paper, “Reforming our Railways: Putting the Customer First”, (b) devising the invitation to tender for the InterCity West Coast Franchise, (c) advising the Department on financial modelling for that franchise, (d) advising the Department on evaluation methodology for that franchise, (e) advising the Department on risk assessment for that franchise and (f) advising the Department on the development of a risk mitigation plan for that franchise.

Simon Burns: With regards to (a) devising changes to the rail franchising policy:
	WS Atkins contributed to some of the reports for the independent McNulty Rail Value for Money Study. In particular, WS Atkins were involved in reports on asset, supply chain, programme and innovation management. Beyond this, there was no other direct input from WS Atkins in formulating the command paper.
	With regards to the other activities listed in the question, WS Atkins provided technical services in support of all of these activities.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role Eversheds LLP carried out on behalf of his Department in respect of (a) devising the changes to the rail franchising policy detailed in the White Paper, “Reforming our Railways: Putting the Customer First”, (b) devising the invitation to tender for the InterCity West Coast Franchise, (c) advising the Department on financial modelling for that franchise, (d) advising the Department on evaluation methodology for that franchise, (e) advising the Department on risk assessment for that franchise and (f) advising the Department on the development of a risk mitigation plan for that franchise.

Simon Burns: With respect to the InterCity West Coast franchise competition, Eversheds LLP were involved in providing legal services in relation to:
	(b) devising the invitation to tender for the InterCity West Coast franchise; and
	(d) advising the Department on evaluation methodology for that franchise.
	They were not involved in any of the other areas of work mentioned.

West Coast Railway Line: Franchises

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the (a) Secretary of State for Transport, (b) Minister of State (Rail) and (c) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Rail) attended meetings to discuss the Intercity West Coast franchise, the design and progress of the competition, evaluation of the bids and award of that franchise (i) before and (ii) after the award of that franchise on 15 August 2012; and what the dates were of those meetings.

Simon Burns: Details of meetings that Ministers have with external stakeholders are published regularly by the Cabinet Office and can be accessed by the following link:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ministerial-transparency/
	Ministers regularly meet with officials on matters of departmental business which would include rail franchising. However, the process for awarding franchises means that after approving the invitation to tender, Ministers are at arm’s length from the process and are not advised of the outcome until the point at which a winner has been identified and the franchise can be awarded.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Henry Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what research his Department has conducted to assess the impact of air passenger duty on the economy;
	(2)  if he will consider the All Party Parliamentary Group on Aviation's inquiry into Aviation policy and air passenger duty and the recommendation that the wider effect of air passenger duty on the UK economy be reviewed.

Sajid Javid: The Government undertook an extensive consultation on air passenger duty last year. The consultation gathered views and evidence from stakeholders, which included views on the impact of APD. Over 500 responses were received from a wide range of stakeholders. The Government published their response to the consultation, including a summary of views received, on 6 December 2011.
	The Government have noted the recommendations of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Aviation inquiry. Given that we recently completed a comprehensive consultation on the subject, we have no plans for further review. However, we will continue to monitor the situation.

Air Passenger Duty

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what studies have been conducted to assess the effect of the costs of air passenger duty on the UK economy; what assessment has been made of the effect of air passenger duty rates being higher than equivalent taxes in other countries on the UK economy; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will follow-up the Government's 2011 review of the banding of air passenger duty with a review into the wider economic effect of the tax; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: The 2011 air passenger duty (APD) consultation gathered extensive views and evidence from stakeholders, which included views on the impact of APD. Over 500 responses were received from a wide range of stakeholders. The Government published their response to the consultation, including a summary of views received, on 6 December 2011.
	Given that we recently completed a comprehensive consultation on the subject, we have no plans for further review. However, we will continue to monitor the situation.

Air Passenger Duty

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many hon. Members have made representations to his Department to request an economic review of air passenger duty since June 2012.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers routinely receive a large number of representations from hon. Members on their own behalf and on behalf of their constituents. Our records are not broken down to allow the number specifically requesting an economic review of air passenger duty (APD) to be determined.
	The Government undertook an extensive consultation on air passenger duty (APD) last year. In view of this, the Government have no plans for further review at the present time.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship;
	(2)  how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury is actively supporting the Government apprentice scheme. Our 2012 apprentice recruitment campaign resulted in five new recruits all of whom are paid.
	Apprentices will be studying an NVQ in Business and Administration during their first 12 months. This will be supported by an apprentice training provider, on the job training and a range of learning and development offerings available in house and via Civil Service Learning.
	There are no paid interns currently working at HM Treasury. The Department has previously participated in the Civil Service Summer Diversity Internship Programme.

Bank Notes

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he had had with the Bank of England regarding the relative number of notes in circulation for £5, £10, £20 and £50.

Sajid Javid: The Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly meets with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss a wide range of issues.
	The issue of bank notes is the responsibility of the Bank of England. The Bank of England works with the cash-handling industry and financial institutions to ensure there are enough notes of the right denominational mix in circulation to meet public demand.

Capital Investment: Northampton

Brian Binley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the letter from the hon. Member for Northampton South on commuted sums for river maintenance, if he will consider the evidence now available for missing final accounts with a view to replacement of the funding granted under the New Towns Act 1965 for the expansion of Northampton.

Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	Redevelopment in Northampton in the 1970s required provision by Anglian Water Authority of water, sewerage and flood defence infrastructure. Costs were recharged to the Development Corporation with a commuted sum to cover future maintenance. The Environment Agency has no evidence that any commuted sum paid was specifically allocated for future river maintenance.
	Funding has been provided to maintain an appropriate flood defence standard in Northampton. The Independent Review of the 1998 floods concluded that flood defence standards were appropriate, but were exceeded by the severity of the flood. Investment in defence improvements in 2000 provided Northampton with one of the best standards of fluvial defence in the country. An independent review commissioned by the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee has confirmed that all maintenance and other work to sustain this standard remains in place. Flood risk assets in Northampton are inspected annually and all are assessed to be in good condition.

Child Trust Fund

Damian Hinds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of Child Trust Fund accounts from the first full year of the programme that have received additional deposits;
	(2)  what proportion of parents of Child Trust Fund holders have switched account provider at lease once;
	(3)  what proportion of parents whose children have a Child Trust Fund Stakeholder account (a) opted for a Stakeholder account and (b) were assigned a Stakeholder account as a default option;
	(4)  what proportion of recipients of (a) a £250 Child Trust Fund and (b) a £500 Child Trust Fund have taken out (i) an interest-bearing account, (ii) an equities account and (iii) a stakeholder account.

Sajid Javid: No estimate has been made of the proportion of Child Trust Funds (CTFs), opened within the first year of the account, that received contributions in addition to Government payments. HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information about the transfer of accounts between CTF providers.
	Details of the number of stakeholder CTFs opened by parents, and the number of these accounts opened by HM Revenue and Customs on a Revenue Allocated Account basis, can be found in Table 2 at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/dda-2011.pdf
	This table also contains details of the number of each type of CTF account (stakeholder, shares and cash). In the tables, accounts receiving additional payment awards are those into which the Government has paid £500. The data in this table cover accounts opened before 5 April 2011.

Corporation Tax

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of lowering the 20 per cent small profits rate tax band to (a) 19, (b) 18, (c) 17, (d) 16 and (e) 15 per cent.

David Gauke: HMRC publish National Statistics which show illustrative tax changes and their associated costs in Table 1.6 of the Tax expenditures and ready reckoners release.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/menu.htm

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) budgeted and (b) actual cost was of the Equitable Life payment scheme in each year of its operation to date.

Sajid Javid: The Treasury published the administration costs of the Equitable Life Payment scheme in its most recent accounts. These can be downloaded from:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/hmt_annual_report_2012.pdf

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many estates of deceased policyholders have been sent compensation by the Equitable Life payment scheme; what proportion of all eligible estates that represents; and what proportion of those who received compensation have paid that compensation into their bank accounts;
	(2)  how many policyholders are yet to receive communication from the Equitable Life payment scheme due to the administrators being unable to verify their address;
	(3)  how many individual policyholders are yet to receive compensation payments from the Equitable Life payment scheme.

Sajid Javid: The Scheme published a detailed progress report in July this year, a copy of which can be found at:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/pressfaq/news.htm
	The Scheme will publish a further report in early 2013.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many errors have been reported in payments made by the Equitable Life payment scheme.

Sajid Javid: The Scheme reported in July this year that it receives very low levels of query and complaint following payment, with less than 0.25% of eligible policyholders having made a complaint to the Scheme. A copy of this progress report is available from:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/pressfaq/news.htm

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many policyholders will not receive compensation from the Equitable Life payment scheme because they have experienced a relative gain.

Sajid Javid: Annex F in the report by the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments contains a breakdown of those policyholders not due a payment from the Scheme. A copy of their report can be downloaded from:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/docs/pdfs/final_icelp.pdf

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual policyholders in Scotland have yet to receive payments from the Equitable Life payment scheme, by parliamentary constituency.

Sajid Javid: The scheme does not hold a breakdown of payments made or to be made by constituency.

Free Zones

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the cost to the public purse is of (a) direct government expenditure and (b) estimated loss of revenue of the free ports in (i) Liverpool, (ii) Southampton, (iii) Tilbury and (iv) Sheerness.

David Gauke: For part (a) of the question, the information requested is not available. In respect of part (b) there should be no loss to Government revenue as goods removed from free zones are subject to the same duties as goods directly imported.
	A free zone brought together a number of customs reliefs and procedures in to a geographical location. The lapsing of the statutory instruments that set up free zones has not removed the customs reliefs, which local operators continue to use within the port areas.

George Anson

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what costs have been incurred by HM Revenue and Customs in contesting the case of the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs v. George Anson.

David Gauke: The general rule in the appeal courts is that the losing party risks having to pay the other side's costs. HMRC won this case in the Upper Tribunal which made an order requiring HMRC's costs to be paid by the taxpayer. The case has been appealed to the Court of Appeal. The costs position will be finalised once the result of the appeal is known.

George Anson

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what costs have been recovered from Ernst and Young after the decision in the case of the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs v. George Anson.

David Gauke: The Upper Tribunal has made an Order for HMRC to recover costs from the taxpayer, not the taxpayer's representatives.

Green Deal Scheme

Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will introduce stamp duty and provisions for council tax rebates for purchasers making energy-efficiency improvements to their home to encourage homeowners and landlords to make energy efficiency improvements under the Green Deal programme;
	(2)  if he will introduce fiscal and economic incentives to encourage homeowners and landlords to make energy efficiency improvements under the Green Deal programme.

Sajid Javid: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the 2011 autumn statement £200 million of additional capital to encourage early uptake of the Green Deal. DECC announced, in September 2012, the first £12 million of this funding will be allocated to seven cities across England to help pilot the Green Deal in their regions.

Green Deal Scheme

Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reduce VAT to five per cent on A rated boilers, A and B rated windows and passive flue gas technologies installed by Green Deal-accredited installers to encourage homeowners and landlords to make energy efficiency improvements under the Green Deal programme.

Sajid Javid: The Government have no plans to introduce a reduced VAT rate for the installation of windows, boilers or passive flue gas technologies.
	The Chancellor announced in the autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, £200 million additional capital to encourage early uptake of the Green Deal. DECC announced, in September 2012, the first £12 million of this funding will be allocated to seven cities across England to help pilot the Green Deal in their regions.

Income Tax: National Insurance Contributions

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to introduce plans to integrate the operation of income tax and national insurance contributions.

David Gauke: Since Budget 2011, the Government have engaged extensively with stakeholders to develop options for operational integration of Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. As many stakeholders have recognised, this is a complex issue with potentially significant implications for employers' payroll operations. The Government will provide an update on this work later in the autumn. As we have already made clear, this is a long-term reform on which the Government will proceed carefully.

Income Tax: Rates and Rating

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of lowering the 40 per cent income tax band to (a) 30, (b) 38, (c) 37, (d) 36, (e) 35, (f) 34, (g) 33, (h) 32, (i) 31 and (j) 30 per cent.

David Gauke: The Exchequer costs of lowering the higher rate of income tax can be approximated from Table 1.6 ‘Direct effects of illustrative tax changes’, available on the HM Revenue and Custom's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-6.pdf
	Where appropriate, costs include estimates of the direct behavioural responses from marginal rate changes. For very large rate changes these responses are more uncertain.

Income Tax: Rates and Rating

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of lowering the 20 per cent income tax band to (a) 19, (b) 18, (c) 17, (d) 16 and (e) 15 per cent.

David Gauke: The Exchequer costs of lowering the basic rate of income tax can be approximated from Table 1.6 “Direct effects of illustrative tax changes”, available on the HM Revenue and Custom's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-6.pdf

Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid out under the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to provide for approved alterations to listed places of worship since the March 2012 Budget.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	Approved alterations came within the scope of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on 1 October 2012. No claims have yet been paid out against this criteria.

Minimum Wage: Underpayments

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of reasons for the increase in the number of under-payments of the National Minimum Wage.

David Gauke: HMRC is commissioned to provide enforcement services by BIS. While other research bodies may do so, HMRC do not make any formal statistical based assessments of the level of total underpayments of NMW.

Poverty: Children

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the potential effects of the withdrawal of child benefit from the fourth and any subsequent children in a single household on levels of child poverty in those households in each of the next four financial years.

David Gauke: The Government publish their assessment of the distributional impact of policy decisions at fiscal events. In doing so, the Government have taken unprecedented steps to increase transparency and enable the effective scrutiny of policy making. This analysis was most recently published at Budget 2012 in the main Budget document (annex B).
	The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission will assess the Government's progress in reducing child poverty and improving life chances.

Private Rented Housing: Energy

Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend and increase the Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance to encourage early improvements to the private rented sector before the introduction of the minimum energy efficiency standard in 2018.

Sajid Javid: The Government are considering the ways in which the market has made use of the Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance, which is scheduled to come to an end in 2015. As with all tax policy, any announcements about the Landlord's Energy Savings Allowance will be made at Budget.

Public Expenditure

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK's budget deficit was in each financial year from 2008 to date; and what the estimated budget deficit for each subsequent year up to 2016 will be.

Sajid Javid: The Public Sector Net Borrowing (PSNB) outturn figures for 2008-09 to 2011-12 are set out in the monthly Public Sector Finance (PSF) bulletin, which is published by the Office for National Statistics.
	The Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) March 2012 Economic and Fiscal outlook sets out the forecast numbers for PSNB for 2012-13 to 2016-17. These numbers are set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Public sector net borrowing 
			 Percentage of GDP 
			  Year PSNB 
			 Outturn (PSF release August 2012) 2008-09 6.8 
			  2009-10 11.2 
			  2010-11 9.5 
			    
			 Forecast OBR March 2012 2011-12 8.3 
			  2012-13(1) 7.6 
			  2013-14 5.9 
			  2014-15 4.3 
			  2015-16 2.8 
			  2016-17 1.1 
			 (1) PSNB excluding the effects of the Royal Mail transfers. 
		
	
	The OBR will publish an updated forecast alongside the autumn statement on 5 December 2012.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what external policy research his Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

Sajid Javid: Details of external policy research are not separately recorded in our accounting system. To attempt to extract these data would take us into the disproportionate cost threshold for answering parliamentary questions.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has a target time for HM Revenue and Customs to reply to correspondence from hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: HMRC has a target to deal with 80% of ministerial correspondence within 15 working days of receipt. HMRC have been running a project to improve performance since January 2012. At the time of writing, the current performance for cases received in September is 80%.

Departmental Staff

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many current and former personnel from (a) Deloitte, (b) KPMG, (c) Ernst and Young and (d) PwC are working for his Department and its associated public bodies.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the former Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), gave on 14 September 2011, Official Report, column 1187W.
	There are fewer than five individuals working on secondment from the listed organisations at the present time. We are not able to provide details of permanent employees who may have worked previously for the listed firms as this information is not held in a central database and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in receipt of the basic state pension and residing in (a) Australia, (b) Canada and (c) New Zealand paid income tax in the UK in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available.

Tax Allowances: Health Insurance

Henry Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to introduce a tax deduction for those who take out health insurance.

David Gauke: There are currently no plans to introduce a tax deduction for those who take out health insurance.

Tax Avoidance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will appoint a committee to investigate the role of KPMG in designing and marketing aggressive tax avoidance schemes;
	(2)  if he will appoint a committee to investigate the role of PwC in designing and marketing aggressive tax avoidance schemes;
	(3)  if he will appoint a committee to investigate the role of Ernst and Young in designing and marketing aggressive tax avoidance schemes;
	(4)  if he will appoint a committee to investigate the role of Deloitte in designing and marketing aggressive tax avoidance schemes;
	(5)  if he will appoint a committee to investigate the role of Robson Rhodes in designing and marketing aggressive tax avoidance schemes.

David Gauke: HMRC is currently considering the outcome of a consultation which has a range of options to improve the information available to the public about tax avoidance schemes and their promoters. The consultation closed on 15 October and the Government are considering their response to this.

Tax Avoidance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent organisations located in tax havens from acquiring private finance initiative contracts.

David Gauke: The Government seek to ensure that the UK tax system is competitive for all companies and that the UK is an attractive place to do business, while retaining strong protection against tax avoidance. Those considerations apply to all contractors in capital projects, whether they involve private finance in their delivery or not.

Tax Avoidance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward legislative proposals under which companies avoiding UK taxes would not be eligible to receive any public grants and subsidies.

David Gauke: The Government are committed to ensuring that firms that procure Government contracts pay a fair amount of tax. HM Revenue and Customs and the Cabinet Office have been tasked to work together on a practical approach to this and further detail will be set out later this year.

Tax Avoidance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what costs have been incurred by HM Revenue and Customs in contesting the case of Vardy Properties v. the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs;
	(2)  what costs have been recovered from Deloitte after the decision in the case of Vardy Properties v. the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

David Gauke: The First-Tier Tribunal very recently dismissed the appeal made by Vardy Properties in relation to its liability to SDLT. Vardy Properties may seek permission to appeal the Tribunal's decision and is still in time to do so. Under the rules of the First-Tier Tribunal, the respective parties generally bear their own costs. However, the Tribunal may make a costs order where the case has been allocated as a complex case and the taxpayer party does not request to be excluded from the resultant costs regime.

Tax Avoidance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what costs have been incurred by HM Revenue and Customs in contesting the cases of Howard Peter Schofield v. the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

David Gauke: The general rule in the appeal courts is that the losing party risks having to pay the other side's costs. HMRC won this case in both the Upper Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal made an order requiring the taxpayer to pay HMRC's costs in relation to the Court of Appeal and Upper Tribunal proceedings.

Taxation: Combined Heat and Power

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage refineries to generate their own electricity using combined heat and power once levy exemption certificates are removed and carbon price support rates introduced in 2013.

Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
	All but two of the UK's refineries already operate large CHP schemes, although there is potential to increase their capacity, increasing the quantity of electricity they export to the grid.
	Regarding support for fossil fuel fired combined heat and power following the withdrawal of levy exemption certificates in April 2013, I refer the Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Phil Wilson), on 15 October 2012, Official Report, column 130W.
	In respect of carbon price support rates, Budget 2012 confirmed that CHP would be exempt from carbon price support costs in respect of heat output. This ensures CHP is not disadvantaged relative to other forms of electricity generation from fossil fuels.

Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what media or public speaking training Ministers in his Department have received since May 2010.

Sajid Javid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the former Economic Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), on 20 October 2010, Official Report, column 808W. No Treasury Ministers have received formal media or public speaking training in the intervening period.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not run official apprenticeship schemes. However, the FCO does participate in government-wide schemes similar in nature to apprenticeships, such as the finance trainee scheme, under which 11 trainees are studying for nationally-recognised accountancy qualifications over a period of around 3-4 years. We also participate in the Civil Service Human Resources Fast Stream scheme, which places trainees in government departments for two 18-month placements whilst they undertake their Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development qualifications. The FCO has committed to taking two trainees under this scheme for 2012.
	FCO Services, the FCO's Trading Fund, which provides essential support services to the FCO and other Government Departments, does run an official apprenticeship scheme. New apprentices are taken on each September and the programme lasts three years. FCO Services currently has 40 paid apprentices who are completing a qualification as part of their apprenticeship.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not run official apprenticeship schemes. FCO Services, the FCO's Trading Fund, which provides essential support services to the FCO and other Government Departments, does run an official apprenticeship scheme and currently has 40 paid apprentices who are completing a qualification as part of their apprenticeship.
	The FCO does employ a number of paid interns. In 2012, we significantly expanded our work experience opportunities, offering over 70 internship placements through a range of advertised work experience schemes.

Bahrain

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will (a) condemn the convictions and prison sentences given to nine medics for their role in demonstrations in Bahrain in 2011 and (b) press his Bahraini counterpart for their immediate release.

Alistair Burt: On hearing that the Court of Cassation upheld the convictions and sentences against nine medical personnel for their involvement in the unrest, we published a statement expressing our disappointment. While we welcomed the move last December to drop all charges related to freedom of expression, we have concerns about the disproportionate length of some of the sentences imposed and the conduct of some of the hearings. We are also mindful that the five medics in detention are currently on hunger strike. We urge the authorities to ensure that they have access to all the medical care they need.
	As portrayed by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) events at the Salmaniya Medical Complex during the unrest were controversial, complex and, as the differing narratives suggest, very unclear. The BICI concluded that, with respect to some of the medical personnel, their actions were in contravention of the Bahrain Code of Medical Ethics, for example the discrimination of treatment for certain patients. This should not, however, necessarily result in criminal charges unless such professional misconduct has broken any common laws.

Bernard Arnault

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria were applied in bestowing a KBE on Bernard Arnault.

Mark Simmonds: The criteria for considering nominations that the FCO uses in all its honours committees are achievement and service to the United Kingdom. The decision to recommend an award is based on merit in order to reward excellence in achievement and service and these would have been the criteria used in the consideration of the award for Bernard Arnault. Due to the confidential nature of the honours process, we do not comment on why or how a decision to recommend any particular individual for an honour is made.

Bumi PLC

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on Bumi PLC.

Hugo Swire: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and other FCO Ministers have received no representations in relation to Bumi PLC.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the findings of the Chin Human Rights Organization's report entitled “Threats to Our Existence: Persecution of Ethnic Chin Christians in Burma”, published in September 2012.

Hugo Swire: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, accompanied by colleagues from the Department for International Development, met a delegation from the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) during their visit to UK in September. They read with great interest the full and comprehensive report produced by the CHRO and are considering its recommendations.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Chin State following the ceasefire agreed between the Burmese Army and the Chin National Front.

Hugo Swire: Officials from the British Embassy Rangoon regularly meet representatives from Chin political parties to discuss their concerns. We have also taken careful note of the findings of the Chin Human Rights Organization's report, ‘Threats to Our Existence', and are considering its recommendations.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Burma regarding the continuing military presence in Chin State; and what steps he is taking to urge the Burmese government to reduce troop numbers in Chin State and all ethnic ceasefire areas.

Hugo Swire: Resolving Burma's long-running ethnic conflicts is vital to long-term stability and prosperity in Burma. We continue to highlight the importance of this issue in all our discussions with the Burmese government. We welcome the Burmese authorities' attempts to build trust with ethnic groups including signing cease-tire agreements with 10 ethnic groups. We are now urging the government to take the next steps towards a process of national political dialogue.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Burmese counterpart on revising Burma's National Registration Card so that it no longer identifies the bearer's religion and ethnicity.

Hugo Swire: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised the issue of the 1982 Citizenship Law with the Burmese Foreign Minister during their meeting in New York in September. Our Ambassador also raised the issue of citizenship with the Borders Minister in September.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Burmese counterparts on Burma's refusal to allow ethnic Rohingya to be included in the 2014 Census.

Hugo Swire: Our Ambassador in Rangoon discussed the importance of including all those living in Burma within the census with the Borders Minister in September. We will continue to raise these issues with both the Burmese authorities and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) which is working with the Burmese government on the census planning.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has held with UK representatives of the ethnic Rohingya of Burma since violence began in Arakan State in June 2012.

Hugo Swire: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials met representatives of the Rohingya on 5 July and again on 21 August 2012. FCO officials are in close and regular contact with the UK representatives of the Rohingya community and are kept up to date with their concerns.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the Burmese government to sign and ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Hugo Swire: As a long term supporter of those promoting the protection of human rights in Burma, our Embassy in Rangoon will continue to encourage the Burmese government to meet its obligations under existing treaties. We continue to urge the Burmese government to ensure its domestic law complies with international human rights norms and that it ratifies human rights treaties including International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that reports of violations of religious freedom in Chin State and throughout Burma are included in the UN General Assembly's 2012 Resolution on Burma.

Hugo Swire: During the upcoming UN General Assembly 3rd Committee (human rights) discussion of Burma, we will press for a UN resolution which highlights our concerns in a number of pressing areas, including the need to find long term solutions to issues affecting Burma's ethnic groups, including religious freedom.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Burmese counterpart regarding violations of freedom of religion or belief in Burma, including Chin State.

Hugo Swire: The protection of and support for human rights in Burma remains central to the UK's policy towards Burma. While recognising the progress in Burma over the last 18 months, Ministers and officials continue to raise our concerns over reports of human rights abuses at every opportunity.
	Most recently at the Friends of Burma meeting at the UN General Assembly in September, I raised our concerns over the violence in Rakhine and Kachin States.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to encourage the Burmese government to issue a formal invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief to visit Burma, including Chin State, to conduct an independent investigation into reports of violations of religious freedom in Burma.

Hugo Swire: We are encouraging the Burmese government to issue a formal invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief to visit Burma.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy and other political parties in Burma regarding violations of religious freedom in Chin State and other areas.

Hugo Swire: We continue to raise the importance of ensuring that the human rights of all those living in Burma are protected in discussions with the Burmese government, the National League for Democracy and other political parties. Our Ambassador in Rangoon raised these issues with Aung San Suu Kyi during a meeting with her on 11 October.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the potential role of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Burma in violating the right to freedom of religion for religious minorities.

Hugo Swire: We have taken careful note of the findings of the Chin Human Rights Organisation's report, ‘Threats to Our Existence', including the allegations made against the Ministry of Religious Affairs. We are considering the report's recommendations. Ministers and officials continue to raise our concerns about religious freedom with the Burmese government at every opportunity.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Burma regarding reports that the Border Areas National Races Youth Development Training Schools are run by the military and that youth from Chin Christian backgrounds are forbidden from practising Christianity and forced to convert to Buddhism.

Hugo Swire: We have taken careful note of the findings of the Chin Human Rights Organisation's report, ‘Threats to Our Existence', including the allegations surrounding the Border Areas National Races Youth Development Training Schools. In discussions with the Burmese government the UK continues to condemn all instances where individuals face persecution or discrimination because of their faith or beliefs, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Burma regarding reports of orders for the destruction of large Christian crosses in Chin State; and what his policy is on ensuring that Chin Christians have full freedom of religion in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Hugo Swire: Reports of religious and ethnic intolerance continuing in Burma remain of deep concern, not only in Chin, but also in Kachin and Rakhine States. In discussions with the Burmese government we continue to condemn all instances where individuals face .persecution or discrimination because of their faith or beliefs, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned. Ministers and officials continue to raise our concerns with the Burmese government over reports of human rights abuses, including religious intolerance, at every opportunity.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times British Embassy officials in Burma have visited Chin State in the last year; and whether he proposes that such officials should seek regular access to Chin State.

Hugo Swire: Officials from our Embassy in Rangoon visited Chin State in March of this year. A further visit is planned for early 2013.

Burma

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of crimes against humanity being committed by the Burmese government against Burmese people.

Hugo Swire: The promotion of the rule of law and protection of human rights are central to our relationship with Burma. As the largest aid donor to Burma, we are in regular contact with ethnic groups and Non Governmental Organisations, and remained concerned about reported human rights, abuses particularly in ethnic areas.
	We strongly supported a UN resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in March which called on the Burmese government to take urgent measures to end the targeting of civilians in military operations, and prevent rape and other forms of sexual violence.
	During the upcoming UN General Assembly 3(rd) Committee (Human rights) discussion of Burma due to take place in November we will again press for a UN resolution which highlights again these concerns.

Burma

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of which Na Sa Ka bases in Arakan State are being used to detain ethnic Rohingya.

Hugo Swire: We are aware of unverified reports of Rohingya being detained in Na Sa Ka bases in Rakhine (Arakan) State.
	At the UN General Assembly in September 2012, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pressed the Burmese government to seek a long term solution to the issues affecting Burma's ethnic groups, including the Rohingya.
	Our Ambassador in Rangoon visited Rakhine State in early October. This was the first independent diplomatic mission to the area since the violence erupted in June. The Ambassador met community leaders and saw some of the worst affected areas for himself, including the state capital Sittwe, which was the scene of some of the worst violence during the recent unrest. The UK is providing humanitarian support through core contributions to UN and EU and has stressed the importance of ensuring the aid does not support or lead to the permanent displacement of Rohingya communities.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to support the International Labour Organisation's efforts to work with the Burmese Government to eradicate all forms of forced labour by 2015.

Hugo Swire: We remain concerned by reports of forced labour in Burma, including in Rakhine State.
	We regularly raise forced labour issues in UN Resolutions. We work closely with, and commend, the efforts of International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Burma. We also welcome the efforts of the Burmese government and its commitment to eradicate forced labour by 2015. We will be closely following the implementation of this commitment.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Burmese government on plans to move from the current ceasefire talks to substantive national political dialogue and address the key issues of self-determination for ethnic nationalities within a federal constitutional framework.

Hugo Swire: We are actively supporting the reconciliation process. In June the Prime Minister announced the allocation of an additional £5 million during Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to the UK for immediate peace-building activities. Our Embassy in Rangoon also hosted a visit of UK experts in July with experience of trust-building and peace-building between communities in Northern Ireland. We intend to continue to draw on UK expertise in this area to support the continuation of the reconciliation process.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the involvement of the Burmese Department of Education and Training in violating the rights of ethnic and religious minorities.

Hugo Swire: We have taken careful note of the findings of the Chin Human Rights Organisation's report, ‘Threats to Our Existence’, including the allegations of the involvement of the Burmese Department of Education and Training in violating the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. Ministers and officials continue to raise our concerns with the Burmese government over reports of human rights abuses, including religious intolerance, at every opportunity.

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to encourage the Burmese government to ensure the teaching of ethnic minority languages is included in the national curriculum.

Hugo Swire: We continue to assist the Burmese government and ethnic groups in efforts to turn the numerous initial ceasefire agreements into lasting political settlements. We are also exploring ways in which the UK can support Burma's educational structures.
	Officials from our embassy in Rangoon have also raised the issue of including ethnic minority languages in the national curriculum with Burmese Ministers.

Burma

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Bangladeshi government on closure of the border between Burma and Bangladesh.

Alistair Burt: Border trade between Bangladesh and Burma resumed on 28-August, following meetings between respective border security officials. The crossing had previously been closed since 8 June following the onset of sectarian violence in the north Rakhine State in Burma.
	The British Government are in regular contact with the Government of Bangladesh about the humanitarian situation in the Bangladesh-Burma border area. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague)—during a meeting with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, on 28 July—raised the issue of Bangladesh's international obligation to accept refugees and offer emergency medical support to those attempting to cross into Bangladesh to flee the violence in north Rakhine State, Burma. The then Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), also discussed the humanitarian situation in the southeast of the country with Prime Minister Hasina on 12 August.
	The British high commission in Dhaka, along with EU partners, has regular conversations with senior interlocutors in the Government of Bangladesh to stress the importance that essential aid agency programmes in south-eastern Bangladesh are able to continue.

Business: Human Rights

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to publish the Government's strategy on business and human rights; and what plans he has to publicise it.

David Lidington: The Government's draft strategy on business and human rights is currently going through a final round of consultation across Whitehall and we hope to publish it in the near future.

Business: Human Rights

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the recommendation of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions, whether he plans to undertake a national baseline study and gap analysis with reference to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

David Lidington: The Government congratulate the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions on their recent successful conference in Berlin. The Government envisage that their strategy on business and human rights will include analysis of the current UK baseline situation across the three pillars of the Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework.

Business: Human Rights

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider the work of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority as part of the Government's strategy on business and human rights.

David Lidington: In its work towards a Government strategy on business and human rights, the Government have given consideration to current UK legislation surrounding the protection of human rights, including the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 which had the objective of preventing the exploitation of workers in a specific sector of UK domestic business activity.

Business: Human Rights

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to require companies to map supply chains as part of the Government's strategy on business and human rights.

David Lidington: The UN Guiding Principles emphasised the importance of supply chains as an area of potential human rights vulnerability. The Government are working to ensure that the UK strategy on business and human rights gives similar weight to supply chain issues as do the Guiding Principles, including questions of business due diligence regarding human rights risks.

Business: Human Rights

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has put in place to monitor implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

David Lidington: The Government's work is currently focused on finalising and launching the Government strategy on business and human rights which is, in effect, our interpretation in the UK context of the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights. We are actively giving consideration to how to monitor implementation as we move forward and believe this an essential part of the process.

Business: Human Rights

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what engagement his Department has had with the financial sector in drafting the Government's strategy on business and human rights.

David Lidington: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have had contact with a wide range of non-governmental organisations, academic institutions and multinational companies and smaller and medium enterprises, including from the financial sector, as part of their engagement strategy during the formulation of the draft Government strategy on business and human rights.

European Parliament

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on support for attempts to petition the EU over stopping sittings of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

David Lidington: The UK Government's position on the site of the European Parliament is well known from the Coalition programme for government. The UK Government are committed to reducing cost and waste in the European Union, and believe that a single seat for the European Parliament, in Brussels, would save money and make it more efficient.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what external policy research his Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

David Lidington: Research in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is primarily undertaken by our in-house Research Analysts. In line with its commitment to open policy making, the FCO also commissions some external research from a range of organisations and businesses in the UK and through our Posts overseas. This is funded from devolved Departmental and Post budgets. As potentially relevant data are not held centrally, a full list of commissions for the last six years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Sri Lanka

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made or instructed to be made to prevent the use of torture on those Tamil asylum seekers deported from the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UK takes its international responsibilities seriously and complies fully with all of its international obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the UN Convention Against Torture and the European Convention on Human Rights. Returns are only enforced if it is safe to do so and the UK Border Agency is satisfied that the individual has no international protection needs. All decisions have the right of appeal, where they are evaluated by the independent Tribunal Service for Immigration and Asylum. The European Court of Human Rights has endorsed our policy that not all Tamil asylum seekers are in need of international protection. The UK regularly raises the issue of torture with the Sri Lanka Government. No formal instructions have been given to raise torture in the context of returns, as the UK deems Sri Lanka a safe country to return to. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued guidance for staff on reporting information or concerns about torture or mistreatment worldwide. This is to ensure that our institutional response to torture and mistreatment is as strong as it can be. Contact details for the British High Commission in Colombo are provided to charter flight returnees upon arrival and advised to call if they require any assistance.

St Helena

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times a Minister from his Department has visited St Helena in each of the last five years.

Mark Simmonds: There have been no ministerial visits from my Department to St Helena in the last five years. St Helena is one of the world's most remote islands and is currently only accessible by sea. Travelling there is a costly and very lengthy process; a round trip takes approximately three weeks. The completion of the new airport in early 2016 will enable easier access to the Island, which Ministers will be keen to take advantage of.

Territorial Waters

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the future of Rockall in the event of secession.
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the future of British territorial waters in the event of secession.

David Lidington: I have not discussed the future of British territorial waters or the Island of Rockall with any Scottish Government representative, and nor have my Ministerial or Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials.
	The Government's position is clear: the Government are not making plans for independence as we are confident that people in Scotland will continue to support the United Kingdom in the proposed referendum. Scotland is stronger as part of the UK and the UK is stronger with Scotland in it.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on the installation of the Coastal Radar Project system in the Turks and Caicos; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The Costal Radar system in the Turks and Caicos Islands began operation at the beginning of August. The Governor officially opened the facility on 26 September.
	The radar system will strengthen the Turks and Caicos Islands' ability to combat illegal migration and crime, help in search and rescue, and thus contribute to improving regional security and safety.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the forthcoming elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The Governor's Office in the Turks and Caicos Islands published a progress report on 18 September entitled “Implementing Reforms and Preparing for Elections”, which is available online at
	http://uk.sitestat.com/fcoweb/ukingov/s?was.tci.resources.en.news.2012.september.milestones.p.pdf. milestones1.pdf&ns_type=pdf&ns_url=http://turksandcaicosislands.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/2012/milestones1.pdf
	This report summarises the good progress that has been made by the Elections Office and the Governor's Office with the preparations for the elections which are due to be held on 9 November.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department plans to take to help ensure a free and fair election in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Mark Simmonds: The interim government in the Turks and Caicos Islands, led by the Governor, is driving forward preparations for free and fair elections on 9 November. A report from the Governor's Office, which is available online at
	http://turksandcaicosislands.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=811876582
	summarises the good progress that has been made to date.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded a number of projects to support this. These include:
	The appointment in March of the chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators as Elections Adviser to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. The Adviser is working closely with government officials to ensure that election preparations are carried out in good time for elections to take place in November.
	Visits by delegations from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the latest of which look place in July and was led by my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy), to assist political parties in the preparation and implementation of the new Political Activities Ordinance.
	An observer mission, including UK and regional monitors, which has been organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (UK), at the invitation of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.
	A contribution towards equipment and IT for the issuance of cards confirming the Belongership status of voters.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Anniversaries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which anniversaries her Department has begun planning commemorations for in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015.

Edward Vaizey: On 11 October 2012 the Prime Minister announced a series of measures to commemorate the centenary of the first world war. The Government's preparations will include national commemorations for key events, including the outbreak of the war on 4 August 2014.

Anniversaries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans her Department has for a national commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

Edward Vaizey: On 11 October 2012 the Prime Minister announced a series of measures to commemorate the centenary of the first world war. Working with key partners including the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Imperial War Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Government's preparations will include national commemorations for key events such as the outbreak of the war on 4 August 2014, the first day of the battle of the Somme on 1 July 2016 and Armistice Day 11 November 2018. The centenary will also provide the foundations upon which to build an enduring cultural and educational legacy. A new Centenary Education Programme, with more than £5 million of new Government funding, will include the opportunity for pupils and teachers from every state secondary school to research the people who served in the great war. Also, the Centenary Partnership Programme will promote a series of community-based initiatives, and a further £5 million will be made available to support the Transforming Imperial War Museum London project.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in her Department;
	(2)  how many apprentices working in her Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.

Hugh Robertson: There are currently no paid apprentices or interns working within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Artworks

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much her Department spent on items of art from May 2010 to the latest month for which figures are available.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has spent £239,888 on items of art since May 2010. This amount is broken down as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 May 2010 to March 2011 197,948 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 1,540 
			 April 2012 to present 40,400

Arts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the average percentage change in the productivity of the (a) creative industries and (b) tourism industry in each month since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) considers the economic impact of the tourism and creative industries sectors in terms of output and employment, but we do not calculate productivity measures (for either labour or capital). The Office for National Statistics Tourism Satellite Account estimates output and employment for tourism and the DCMS' creative industries economic estimates calculate output and employment for the creative industries. The latest publications of which can be found at the following links:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/tourism/tourism-satellite-account/2009---the-economic-importance-of-tourism/index.html
	and
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/8682.aspx

Arts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress she has made on improving the productivity of the (a) tourism industry, (b) creative industries and (c) leisure industries.

Edward Vaizey: With regard to tourism, we are delivering major new international and domestic campaigns on the back of the Olympic and Paralympic games, improving the local tourism structure and making it more self-sustaining, cutting regulation and red tape, a key concern for small businesses in the industry. We are improving the visitor journey by working with colleagues in the UK Border Agency and Department for Transport to improve visa processes and the transport infrastructure.
	The Creative Industries Council, jointly chaired by Secretaries of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, was established to look at barriers to growth in the creative industries. Working groups within the council have produced specific reports on access to finance and skills. The Council has welcomed both reports and the recommendations are being taken forward by Government and industry. In addition, in Budget 2012 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the introduction of three new tax reliefs for high end TV, video games and animation, building on the success of the film tax relief.
	The Live Music Act 2012, which came into force on 1 October 2012, removed regulatory burdens and costs from hundreds of pubs, clubs, and workplaces making it easier to stage live music. The Act also removes the need for licences for unamplified music in other locations, helping performing musicians get started. In addition, we will shortly be announcing further measures to remove bureaucracy from cultural and sporting activities following a recent consultation, which will boost productivity in the leisure and creative sectors more widely.

Arts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the effect on local communities of art displayed in public places.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has made no such assessment.

Arts Council England

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much Arts Council England has set aside for redundancy payments in respect of its proposed restructuring; what proportion of that sum the organisation plans to spend on redundancy payments to employees in each English region; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: We are seeking to reduce administrative costs across a range of public bodies. It is for each individual public body to deliver their administrative budget reduction targets in a way that is affordable and delivers value for money. However, the Department is contributing £3.4 million to Arts Council England's restructuring costs. The Arts Council has budgeted for £5.5 million in redundancy payments as part of its organisational review. The Arts Council is currently in formal consultation with staff and unions and nothing is final until the consultation ends later this month. Until this process has been completed, the Arts Council is unable to provide a breakdown of anticipated redundancy costs on a regional basis.

Arts: Education

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent on arts bursary awards for people aged under 25 since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has given £500,000 to the Jerwood Bursaries scheme.

Departmental Assets

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by her Department are.

Hugh Robertson: The 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) are as follows:
	(a) Movable assets
	The 10 most valuable movable assets owned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are works of art within the Government Art Collection.
	It is not possible to give an accurate estimate of the value of the Government Art Collection, which has no current market valuation. The current monetary value of a work of art can be accurately assessed only at the time of purchase or sale or by professional valuation. In the former case, the collection is not actively traded; in the latter, it would not be justified expenditure of public funds to have the whole collection valued professionally.
	(b) Immovable assets
	The freehold of Blythe House at Olympia, London W14, is owned by the Department. This was valued in the Department's 2010-11 accounts at a depreciated replacement cost of £18,400,000 (valuation date 31 March 2009). Blythe House is not carried on the Department's balance sheet as the risks and rewards of ownership are considered to lie with the three museums occupying the building for storage. Each of these museums discloses the value of their share in their balance sheet.
	The nine next most valuable immovable assets are managed by the Department's agency, The Royal Parks, and are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 The Hub 3,332,793 
			 Diana Memorial Fountain (Kensington Gardens) 3,320,000 
			 Inn the Park (St James's Park) 2,664,752 
			 Serpentine Gallery (Kensington Gardens) 3,345,565 
			 Queen Mother Memorial 2,000,000 
			 The Old Police House (Hyde Park) 1,979,682 
			 Lookout Project 1,695,953 
			 Welcome Centre (Broom Clumps) 1,600,000 
			 Pembroke Lodge (Richmond Park) 1,325,905

Battle of Waterloo: Anniversaries

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what role her Department will have in events to commemorate the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo in 2015.

Hugh Robertson: Discussions have been taking place within Government to determine how best to formally commemorate, in 2015, the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, although these are at a very early stage. Some planning is already being carried out by Waterloo 200, an umbrella organisation which is overseeing the anniversary, and more information can be found on its website at the following link:
	www.waterloo200.org
	In addition, initiatives are being organised by a number of national and regional military museums to mark the occasion, including the National Army Museum and relevant regimental museums, which come under the remit of the Ministry of Defence. There is also likely to be some commemorative activity at associated heritage sites such as Apsley House, the home of the Duke of Wellington, and Walmer Castle.

Bell Towers

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which bell towers have received grants from public funds in the last 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: Funds are available from public sources to support repairs to bell towers where they are part of listed places of worship. Such support includes the Listed Places of Worship Scheme and the one-off Department for Culture, Media and Sport capital grant scheme for 2012-13. Funding is also available from English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the £56 million DCMS, HLF and Arts Council England “Catalyst: Endowment” Fund.
	Data are not available about the amounts disbursed specifically for works to bell towers or the location of bell towers that have benefited.

British Library

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the total cost was of consultants employed by the British Library in each of the last five years.

Edward Vaizey: The information requested has been provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Consultancy expense (£) 
			 2007-08 1,593,543 
			 2008-09 1,388,356 
			 2009-10 869,687 
			 2010-11 312,366 
			 2011-12 199,254 
			 Total 4,363,206

British Museum

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Board of Trustees of the British Museum on the future management of its Parthenon marble exhibits.

Edward Vaizey: I have had no such discussions. Issues relating to the ownership and management of the Parthenon sculptures are matters for the trustees of the British Museum.

Cathedrals

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if she will make an assessment of the potential effect on the maintenance of the fabric of English cathedrals of the loss of income arising from forced sale to tenants of rented houses in cathedral closes.

Edward Vaizey: The sale to tenants of rented houses in cathedral closes is a private matter for each Dean and Chapter.
	English Heritage carried out a fabric survey into the condition of cathedrals in 2009. This research demonstrated that the majority of cathedrals are now in better condition than they have been for a century and are in a reasonably good state, given their age and complexity as buildings.

Consultants

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many consultants for which her Department is responsible were employed in (a) museums, (b) historic palaces, (c) parks, (d) galleries and (e) heritage sites and became permanent members of staff following the end of their contract in each of the last two years.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not record this information centrally, and to collate it could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Cultural Heritage

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) heritage and (b) conservation sites there are in each region.

Edward Vaizey: Details of all nationally protected historic places in England are now available online at:
	http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/
	which is searchable by region.
	In addition, English Heritage publishes Heritage Counts each year on behalf of the heritage sector, which provides details on the extent and condition of heritage assets in each region. The latest report and statistics are available from:
	www.heritagecounts.org.uk

Cultural Heritage

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of conservation of literary landmarks.

Edward Vaizey: I have made no specific assessment. However, English Heritage is aware of the claims of literary interest and strives to identify such connections with buildings, both through listing and through the Blue Plaques scheme. Many writers' tombs are also listed.
	Government guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework and English Heritage's own Conservation Principles stress the need to uphold the significance of such heritage assets. English Heritage has grant-funded urgent repairs to buildings at risk with literary connections, for example, Mrs Gaskell's house in Ardwick, Manchester in 2009 and the repair of the church tower at Grantchester, Cambridgeshire which is the subject of a poem by Rupert Brooke.
	Broader landmarks like landscapes can be protected through designation as areas of outstanding natural beauty, for example, the Shropshire Hills; as world heritage sites, for example Bath; and through conservation area status, for example, Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia or Soho in London. There are many writer's house museums, opened by independent bodies and the National Trust, which also celebrate these connections. These are almost always listed.
	Many literary heritage projects, or places of note from a literary viewpoint, have received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. These include the birthplace of Burns—now the Burns Museum; Keats House; the Bronte Parsonage; Jane Austen's house in Hampshire; Dove Cottage, the home of Wordsworth; and the Roald Dahl Centre.

Cultural Heritage

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent on its aims related to heritage (a) in cash terms, (b) in real terms and (c) as a proportion of its annual expenditure in each year since 1997.

Edward Vaizey: The following table sets out the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's spend on Heritage from 1997 to 2011-12, both in cash and real terms:
	
		
			  Cash data At 2011-12 prices Percentage of yearly expenditure 
			 1997-98 178.3 241.9 20.24 
			 1998-99 168.5 224 18.98 
			 1999-2000 179 233.8 18.54 
			 2000-01 175.6 228 17.88 
			 2001-02 184.7 235.4 17.37 
			 2002-03 184.9 229.9 15.27 
			 2003-04 383.5 466.6 21.58 
			 2004-05 195.7 231.2 14.39 
			 2005-06 196.1 226.5 13.45 
			 2006-07 208 234.1 12.58 
			 2007-08 211.7 232.4 11.44 
			 2008-09 237.5 253.8 10.63 
			 2009-10 224.8 236.7 11.81 
			 2010-11 207.8 212.7 10.65 
			 2011-12 172.5 172.5 6.17

Direct Selling

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps her Department can take to stop British residents receiving unwanted sales calls from companies based outside the UK.

Edward Vaizey: Unwanted sales calls from companies based outside the UK fall outside the jurisdiction of the UK. However, measures are in place for sales and marketing calls that are made on behalf of UK companies, through the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003. Callers are legally required not to call a number that is registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), or if they have previously notified the caller that they do not wish to receive such calls. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) considers complaints about the TPS and can issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches. Residents can also further protect themselves, as most service providers offer a range of services that can help to reduce the need to answer such calls. This includes Calling Line Identification Display, Automatic Call Rejection and Choose to Refuse. A range of other devices are also commercially available that can help to block unwanted sales calls.

Dismissal

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many employees have been dismissed by her Department since May 2010.

Hugh Robertson: One employee has been dismissed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport since May 2010.

HMS Victory

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assurances she has been given that the Maritime Heritage Foundation has the appropriate resources and independent archaeological expertise to manage properly HMS Victory 1774.

Edward Vaizey: Government consideration of proposals by the Maritime Heritage Foundation for work at the wreck site of the Victory 1744 are informed by an advisory group which has representation from the Ministry of Defence, English Heritage and the National Museum of the Royal Navy. This Department has observer status on this group. No work on the site can be undertaken without the approval of the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond).

Holiday Accommodation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the level of associated expenditure in local economies from visitors in self-catering accommodation.

Hugh Robertson: The Department does not record this information. The Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey (IPS) provides the main source of data on accommodation type used by overseas visitors, which can be found at the following link:
	http://www.visitbritain.org/insightsandstatistics/inbound visitorstatistics/regions/regionalspread.aspx
	The IPS does not have a category specifically for ‘self-catering'; most inbound visitors who are self-catering will fall into the ‘other' category. However, those who selected ‘own home' or ‘camping/mobile home' may also capture ‘self-catering'.

Holiday Accommodation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what her latest estimate is of the use by overseas visitors of self-catering holiday accommodation in the UK in each of the last two years; and what her Department's estimate is of such usage for the next three years.

Hugh Robertson: The Department does not record this information. The Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey (IPS) provides the main source of data on accommodation type used by overseas visitors, which can be found at the following link:
	http://www.visitbritain.org/insightsandstatistics/inbound visitorstatistics/regions/regionalspread.aspx
	The IPS does not have a category specifically for ‘self-catering’; most inbound visitors who are self-catering will fall into the ‘other’ category. However, those who selected ‘own home’ or ‘camping/mobile home’ may also capture ‘self-catering’.

Internet

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many page hits have been recorded by the (a) Arts Council England and (b) British Film Council websites since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: From May 2010 until 15 October 2012, Arts Council England advise that their website received 10,483,550 page views. From May 2010 until 30 September 2012 the total number of page views recorded by the British Film Institute (BFI) was 123,765,038, this figure is the total sum of the page views for BFI.org.uk, Film and TV Database, Screenonline, Filmstore and video views for the YouTube BFI Films channel.

Marketing

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much has been spent on rebranding her Department and its agencies since May 2010.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not spent any money on rebranding since May 2010. Its agency, The Royal Parks, has since May 2010 spent £11,424.00 on its own rebranding out of its own budget.

Departmental Meetings

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings staff of her Department have had with representatives from (a) the Natural History Museum, (b) the Royal Armouries, (c) the Hepworth Gallery, (d) Sport England, (e) the Tate Gallery, (f) the UK Film Council, (g) the British Library, (h) UK Sport, (i) the Baltic Gateshead, (j) Visit Britain and (k) Derby Quad since May 2010; and what issues were discussed in each meeting.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not collate this information centrally, and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

Museums and Galleries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many free visits were made to art galleries and museums funded through the public purse in each region of England in each of the last five years.

Edward Vaizey: The number of free visits to galleries and museums by region for the last five years is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 London British Museum 6,037,930 5,465,861 5,643,708 5,869,396 5,841,658 
			  Natural History Museum (South Kensington) 3,617,953 3,701,347 4,260,123 4,682,783 4,823,547 
			  Science Museum (South Kensington) (Science Museum Group) 2,711,680 2,647,487 2,775,860 2,766,994 2,921,685 
			  Tate Modern and Tate Britain 6,769,949 6,235,536 6,315,027 6,641,155 6,232,021 
			  Victoria and Albert Museum 2,623,072 2,483,382 2,746,050 3,048,887 3,334,820 
			  National Gallery 3,914,000 4,439,000 4,695,000 5,085,000 5,358,000 
			  National Maritime Museum 1,765,814 2,068,244 2,378,786 2,433,163 1,858,538 
			  Imperial War Museum (Lambeth) 759,571 865,601 886,528 1,095,442 976,324 
			  Museum of London(1) 417,826 — — — — 
			  National Portrait Gallery 1,645,680 1,829,155 1,984,464 1,758,522 2,042,224 
			  Horniman Museum(2) 477,894 483,113 621,301 584,974 509,279 
			  Geffrye Museum 80,352 86,272 ¦91,416 102,914 104,945 
			  Wallace Collection 335,349 363,786 375,179 356,595 393,748 
			  Sir John Soane's Museum 93,427 100,776 108,595 111,387 109,527 
			        
			 East Natural History Museum (Tring) 126,967 111,913 118,444 126,864 123,434 
			        
			 South East Royal Armouries (Fort Nelson) 83,930 73,473 74,243 69,758 68,934 
			        
			 North East Tyne and Wear Museums 1,502,037 1,518,092 2,286,737 2,022,628 1,800,815 
		
	
	
		
			  National Railway Museum at Shildon (Science Museum Group) 149,277 138,653 160,326 198,697 210,109 
			        
			 North West Tate Liverpool 690,887 1,035,958 520,687 606,259 606,323 
			  National Museums Liverpool 2,190,391 2,689,889 2,272,981 2,622,228 3,184,995 
			  Imperial War Museum North 223,342 244,768 239,398 241,586 334,935 
			  MOSI (Science Museum Group) 819,104 743,493 568,993 638,347 838,648 
			        
			 Yorkshire and Humberside National Media Museum (Science Museum Group) 737,857 672,951 606,837 497,522 482,790 
			  National Railway Museum (Science Museum Group) 824,106 782,430 709,166 630,396 717,274 
			  Royal Armouries (Leeds) 267,624 264,973 269,591 273,824 215,135 
			  National Coal Mining Museum (Science Museum Group) 135,699 116,186 118,417 107,582 101,403 
			 Totals  39,001,718 39,162,339 40,827,857 42,572,903 43,191,111 
			 (1) Since April 2008, the Museum of London has been sponsored by the GLA. (2) Excludes visits to the gardens. 
		
	
	In addition to this, the number of free visits to museums funded through the Renaissance in the Regions programme is as follows. It should be noted that the sample of museums is not constant throughout the years.
	
		
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 East 891,667 1,117,302 1,235,251 1,225,783 1,332,371 
			 East Midlands 1,795,520 1,720,293 1,828,835 1,714,530 1,709,880 
			 London 1,141,489 1,301,633 1,356,824 1,627,738 1,498,277 
			 North East 1,987,665 1,986,511 2,850,415 2,654,775 2,592,727 
			 North West 1,524,133 1,703,435 1,755,084 1,719,221 1,714,714 
			 South East 2,169,030 1,939,050 2,656,454 3,274,673 3,219,616 
			 South West 874,958 765,207 981,705 772,339 1,458,186 
			 West Midlands 1,651,265 1,852,524 2,289,836 2,288,945 2,121,045 
			 Yorkshire 2,827,291 3,415,939 3,375,922 3,502,541 3,699,778 
			 Total 14,863,018 15,801,894 18,330,326 18,780,545 19,346,594

Museums and Galleries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with her Greek counterpart on exchange of museum artefacts since the building of the new Acropolis Museum.

Edward Vaizey: I have had no such discussions.

Museums and Galleries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of whether visitor numbers for those museums and galleries in London which are funded by grant-in-aid will increase following the London Olympic Games.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport publishes visitor figures for its sponsored museums and galleries in England on the first working day of each month:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/museums_and_galleries/3375.aspx
	The figures are published one month in arrears to allow time for the museums and galleries to collect the data. Visitor figures for September will therefore be published on 1 November.

Museums and Galleries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if her Department will take steps to (a) review the Arts Fund Criteria to ensure all forms of art are eligible for funding, (b) help independent and new artists display and sell their work and (c) ensure small to medium-sized galleries are eligible to participate in the Own Art Scheme.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport works to make sure the cultural sector has the framework to grow and have real impact on people's lives. However, it does so in partnership with a wide range of arm's length public bodies, private, charitable and voluntary organisations. It seeks to support these bodies, not intervene in their operations.
	(a) The Arts Fund is an independent charity and Government has neither the locus nor the inclination to intervene in its activities.
	(b) Arts Council England's (ACE) ‘Own Art’ scheme makes it easier and more affordable for people to buy and sell contemporary art and craft by offering interest free loans of up to £2,000 for the purchase of work by living artists. During the past year over 3,700 customers used the ‘Own Art’ scheme, generating an estimated £1.8 million worth of income for artists. ACE also supports artist-led galleries that focus on showing emerging, talent and encouraging sales of their work through their investment in their National Portfolio organisations. These include ‘Workplace’ in Newcastle, ‘Matts Gallery’, ‘Chisenhale Gallery’ and ‘Studio Voltaire’ in London which have a strong focus on emerging talent and selling work.
	(c) ACE publicises the opportunity for galleries to apply for membership of the ‘Own Art’ scheme on a regular basis, and encourages applications from galleries of all kinds specialising in the sale of high quality contemporary art and craft, from small scale commercial businesses up to larger publicly funded museums and galleries.

Museums and Galleries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many galleries have participated in the Own Art Scheme in the last 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: The Own Art Scheme is delivered independently of Government by ArtCo Trading Ltd, a trading company of Arts Council England. The Department has no operational involvement. However, the Department has been informed by the Arts Council that there are currently 230 galleries registered as members of the Own Art scheme in England, plus a further 41 located in Scotland and Northern Ireland where the scheme is offered in partnership with Creative Scotland and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Olympic Games 2012

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much has been spent in each region on programmes launched as part of the Cultural Olympiad on the latest date for which figures are available.

Edward Vaizey: The total budget for the Cultural Olympiad, including the London 2012 Festival, was £105 million for the four-year period from 2008-12. This budget was raised from both public and private sector sources including the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Legacy Trust, the Olympic Lottery Distributor, UK Arts Councils, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Greater London Authority and several commercial partners and sponsors. Much of the funding was secured directly by the projects themselves, as opposed to passing through a centralised budget so figures detailing the spending in each region are not available. However, individual regions, such as the West Midlands and East of England, have produced their own analyses of their region's programme.
	Further information can be found at the following links:
	East of England
	http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/doc/Evaluation_of_the_Cultural_Olympiad_East_of_England.pdf
	West Midlands
	http://visitbirmingham.com/files/2012-09-39/35634Culturalolympics6ppA4proof2LR_tcm33-41273.pdf
	South East
	http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/se_website_ images/SouthEastCulturalOlympiadVolumeTwo.pdf

Olympic Games 2012

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy that all businesses which contributed to the London 2012 Olympic Games receive the full commercial benefits of their involvement, notwithstanding no marketing rights clauses remaining in force.

Hugh Robertson: Suppliers to London 2012 have been paid the full commercial rate for their goods and services, with over £7.5 billion of Games-related contracts being awarded to UK companies. The responsibility to enforce the current marketing restrictions and protect the rights of Games Sponsors within the UK, transfers from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to the British Olympic Association (BOA) and British Paralympic Association, in January 2013. The BOA is continuing to work with the International Olympic Committee to develop a framework that allows suppliers to promote the work they undertook, balanced with the ability for sponsors to protect their rights of association with the Games. I will continue to monitor this to ensure British businesses can benefit as much as possible from their involvement in the Games.

Procurement

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which contractors based in other EU member states are providing services to her Department.

Hugh Robertson: The suppliers used by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) all have offices in the UK. However, DCMS would be unable to ascertain whether these suppliers are based in other EU countries without incurring disproportionate costs.

Public Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many public libraries providing internet access to the public there were in each region of England in each of the last 10 years.

Edward Vaizey: Information on the number of public libraries open for more than 10 hours a week and providing internet access to the public, is available in the annual public library statistics published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) from 2001-02 until 2003-04, and as a percentage of libraries with access from 2004-05 until 2007-08. From 2008-09 onwards, the information is available as the number of terminals with internet access in each authority. From 2010-11, the CIPFA statistics also provide information on the number of library service points that have a public access wi-fi network available.
	Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the House Library.

Public Relations

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much her Department spent on external media relations in each of the last 12 months.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not spent anything on external media relations in the last 12 months.

Stonehenge

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had on the (a) protection and (b) maintenance of the (i) Avebury and (ii) Stonehenge world heritage site.

Edward Vaizey: I have had no recent discussions on Avebury and Stonehenge. The Department has regular contact with English Heritage and the National Trust, both at official and ministerial level, on a range of issues. Stonehenge and Avebury have not been raised in particular, as both sites are well maintained.

Tourism

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had with representatives of the tourism industry in the last six months.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport publishes details of ministerial meetings with outside interest groups on its transparency website. Full details of which can be found at the following link:
	http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/category/other/meetings/
	While officials meetings are not recorded centrally, officials have attended a number of meetings over the last six months where representatives of the tourism trade have been present.

Tourism

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what effect her Department estimates the change to VisitBritain's budget will have on international visitor numbers to the UK in each of the next four years.

Hugh Robertson: As part of the spending review settlement we agreed that VisitBritain would continue to play a crucial role in promoting tourism, but like all our other major bodies it would have to find administrative savings of 50% and maximise its marketing budget. From 2011-12 through to 2014-15, VisitBritain is, therefore, investing over £125 million in a major international promotional campaign in key overseas markets. This is aiming to deliver 4.6 million extra visitors, £2.27 billion in extra visitor spend and over 50,000 job opportunities. This campaign will take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity afforded by the unique events of 2012 to maximise the industry's potential and ensure that we create a sustainable legacy for tourism.

Tourism

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of inbound tourists to the UK in the latest month for which figures are available.

Hugh Robertson: This information is not recorded by the Department. Data relating to inbound tourism are recorded via the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey (IPS). The latest published data can be found at the following link:
	http://www.visitbritain.org/Images/August%202012%20IPS %20Memo%20with%20charts_tcm29-35181.pdf
	which shows that an estimated 420,000 visits from overseas to the UK took place in July and August 2012.

Tourism: Lancashire

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps (a) Visit Britain and (b) Visit England is taking to promote tourism in (i) Lancashire and (ii) Pendle constituency.

Hugh Robertson: Lancashire and Pendle are an important part of our tourism offer. Although VisitEngland, our national tourism board, does not promote at the local level, it does engage in national promotions and public relations work which benefits such locations as Lancashire. VisitEngland is currently developing four thematic marketing campaigns based on City, Coast, Countryside and Heritage, and Lancashire and Pendle embodies all four.
	A new Destination Management Organisation is currently being set up in Lancashire which will be covering the Pendle constituency, and VisitEngland staff have met with their team to discuss key priorities, and to look further at promotion and development opportunities.
	VisitBritain is investing in a major international promotional campaign in key overseas markets. Over the next four years, this is expected to deliver 4.6 million extra visitors, £2.27 billion in extra visitor spend and over 50,000 job opportunities across the whole nation. This campaign will take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity afforded by the unique events of 2012 to maximise the industry's potential and ensure that we create a sustained legacy for tourism. Destinations all over the UK, including those in Lancashire, stand to benefit from these initiatives.

World Heritage Sites

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what visits in an official capacity she has made to each UK world heritage site in the last 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: In her official capacity since her appointment last month, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), has made frequent visits to the Palace of Westminster. She has not yet visited any other UK World Heritage Site.

World Heritage Sites

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the maintenance of world heritage sites in EU member states.

Edward Vaizey: I have had no direct discussions regarding World Heritage sites in EU member states to date.
	Officials at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport recently engaged with colleagues from around the globe during the World Heritage Committee meeting in St. Petersburg in June of this year. A range of world heritage issues were discussed including the maintenance of various sites.

World Heritage Sites

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many applications for locations in England to become World Heritage Sites are outstanding; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Individual national governments are responsible for nominating sites in their country from a Tentative List of Future Nominations. After a nomination is presented, there is an 18-month period of evaluation by one of UNESCO's expert advisers before a final decision is made by the World Heritage Committee at its annual meeting.
	Following a public consultation, ‘World Heritage for the Nation: Identifying, Protecting and Promoting Our World Heritage’, the UK's Tentative List was reviewed and a new Tentative List was announced in March 2011.
	Sites on the Tentative List which wanted to go forward straight away with a nomination to UNESCO were invited to complete a Technical Evaluation by 9 April 2012. The Technical Evaluations which came forward were assessed by an Expert Group. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced which sites have been invited to prepare a full submission to UNESCO: the Forth Bridge near Edinburgh has been invited to prepare a nomination for 2014 and Gorham's Cave Complex in Gibraltar will go forward in 2015.
	More detailed information about the nominations processed and sites on the Tentative List, is available on our website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/historic_environment/4168.aspx

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the proposed (a) closure of accident and emergency services across the country and (b) service changes to the NHS in Worcestershire.

Anna Soubry: The Government's policy is that front- line national health service reconfigurations and major service changes should be locally led and clinically driven. The underlying rationale should be that changes deliver an improvement in quality and outcomes for patients. The guiding principles are the Secretary of State's four tests, which are that schemes should be able to demonstrate: support from clinical commissioners; clarity on the clinical evidence base; robust patient and public engagement; and support for patient choice. It is for the local NHS, working with their partners, to plan, develop and implement proposals for change and assure these proposals against the four tests.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Daniel Poulter: At present, there are no apprentices working in the Department.
	The Department does not use the term "intern", but has facilitated a number of paid student placements at administrative officer level in a variety of posts such as economic, financial, statistical and operational research.
	The number of paid student placements currently employed by the Department is 13.
	Formal “internships”—paid student placements—in the Department have included the Graduate Summer Placement Scheme (for ethnic and disabled undergraduates), the NHS Management Trainee Programme, and analytical and finance university student placements.

Blood and Marrow Transplantation

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made by the Clinical Reference Group on Blood and Marrow Transplantation on (a) the development of a national tariff for blood and marrow transplantation, (b) CQUINs for blood and marrow transplantation and (c) the quality dashboard for blood and marrow transplantation;
	(2)  whether NHS trusts will be mandated to complete the quality dashboard for blood and marrow transplantation; and what arrangements will be in place to ensure organisations are held to account on the outcomes they achieve;
	(3)  on what dates the Clinical Reference Group on Blood and Marrow Transplantation has met in 2012; and if he will publish the minutes of each meetings;
	(4)  what recent consideration his Department has given to the role of mobilisation in the development of commissioning products by the Clinical Reference Group on Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Anna Soubry: This work is led by the NHS Commissioning Board who have provided the following response.
	Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs) were set up in 2012 to assist in the transition of “prescribed” specialised services into the NHS Commissioning Board. They provide the clinical leadership and input into the development of commissioning and contracting products for prescribed services. There are over 60 CRGs which report into five national programmes of care.
	The outputs of the Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) CRGs are currently being considered and assessed by the Clinical Advisory Group for specialised services. Depending on their recommendations, these products will then be used in the 2013-14 contracts. The BMT CRG, while looking to ensure convergence of standards across providers for the service, has not developed a national tariff for BMT. However, the introduction of a single operating model provides an opportunity to address inconsistency in pricing, currencies and contracting mechanisms but we recognise that this will not be in place by April 2013.
	Quality dashboards are not specifically about improving services, they are about benchmarking services as a way of aiding improvement. Quality dashboards have been developed during 2012-13 for 20 prescribed service areas, including BMT. Providers will be populating information into these commencing Quarter 3 2012-13. The intention is to carry on using these quality dashboards in 2013-14. These quality dashboards will continue to be refined to provide the right information to support safe and effective services and provide a national perspective of quality standards across the country.
	The BMT CRG have met on the following dates:
	15 May 2012
	6 July 2012
	17 October 2012.
	Minutes are available on request.
	The commissioning policy for 2013-14 for BMT has considered a wide range of issues, including new drugs/devices. These will be regularly revised and updated.

Cancer: Accident and Emergency Departments

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were first diagnosed with cancer whilst admitted to casualty in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: This information is not held centrally.
	In November 2010, the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) produced an analysis of cancer diagnosis, including for patients diagnosed as an emergency presentation, for all patients diagnosed with cancer during 2007. A copy of the NCIN report, “Routes to Diagnosis”, has already been placed in the Library.
	The findings of the NCIN report were considered in the development of “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, which set out our intention to develop a routine assessment of the proportion of cancers diagnosed through emergency routes. Work is now under way to examine the feasibility of this.
	On 21 September 2012, the NCIN published “Routes to diagnosis for cancer—determining the patient journey using multiple routine data sets” in the British Journal of Cancer. This new study offers an analysis of cancer diagnosis between 2006 and 2008 and also includes those patients diagnosed as an emergency presentation. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

Contraceptives: Advisory Services

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent steps he has taken to ensure that women are not refused contraceptive advice by their local GP;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of GPs in (a) England and Wales, (b) East Midlands Strategic Health Authority, (c) East of England Strategic Health Authority, (d) London Strategic Health Authority, (e) North East Strategic Health Authority, (f) North West Strategic Health Authority, (g) South Central Strategic Health Authority, (h) South East Coast Strategic Health Authority, (i) South West Strategic Health Authority, (j) West Midlands Strategic Health Authority and (k) Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority who do not offer contraceptive services to patients.

Anna Soubry: There are 8,316 primary medical care contractors in England. Of these, 4,920 provide services under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract arrangements. Of these, only two GMS contractors have opted out of the provision of contraception. The Department does not collect information on the provision of contraception by general practitioners through other contracting routes as these are a matter for local agreement, but we are not aware of any evidence to suggest that contraception is not offered under these contracts.

Diabetes

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency ambulance call-outs were made in (a) Birmingham and (b) England for people with diabetes experiencing a diabetes emergency; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Information pertaining to emergency ambulance call-outs is collected centrally, but specific information about the nature of the call-out is not available.

Diabetes

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to consult industry on the development of the Diabetes Action Plan.

Anna Soubry: The aim of the Diabetes Action Plan is to set out the actions that the national health service can take to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. The Department is working in consultation with NHS colleagues and leading stakeholders from the voluntary sector, including Diabetes UK, to produce an action plan that will be published later this year. In acknowledgement that the pharmaceutical industry has a major role to play in improving diabetes care, it will be consulted on the action plan via engagement with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

Domestic Violence

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training is available to health practitioners to (a) improve their awareness and understanding of domestic violence and (b) help them recognise signs of domestic violence in patients.

Anna Soubry: The Department of Health is committed to improving standards of care and support for women and child victims of domestic violence. This commitment is outlined in “Improving services for women and child victims of violence: the Department of Health Action Plan”, published in November 2010, and sets out how the Department will work with the national health service and partners to address this issue. Further details of the action plan are available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_122003
	A fundamental part of the action plan includes work to improve awareness and training of professionals. This includes specific bespoke projects, such as the development of an e-learning toolkit by the Royal College of General Practitioners on violence against women and children which was funded by the Department. The e-learning tool enables general practitioners (GPs) to identify and respond to victims more effectively. The Foundation Programme Curriculum 2012 for newly qualified doctors now includes sexual and domestic violence and relevant competencies have been included in the 2012 Foundation Curriculum to supplement those already covering safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
	In December 2005, the Department published “Responding to Domestic Abuse: a handbook for health professionals”. The handbook gives practical guidance to health care professionals on working with patients who may have experienced or are experiencing domestic abuse. A copy of the handbook is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4126619.pdf
	Copies of both documents have already been placed in the Library.

Domestic Violence

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of reported domestic violence cases were referred through general practitioners and health practitioners in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry: The information requested is not held centrally. Victims of domestic abuse may attend a variety of settings such as general practitioner surgeries, walk-in clinics or hospitals for treatment of an injury but may not disclose that an injury occurred as a result of domestic abuse. The Department has undertaken significant work to promote awareness, understanding and training on domestic violence for health professionals, recognising the key role that health services play in providing opportunities for victims to disclose in a safe environment.

Drugs: Misuse

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made on the number of (a) recreational drug users and (b) drug addicts in (i) Enfield North constituency, (ii) London and (iii) England.

Anna Soubry: The “National and regional estimates of the prevalence of opiate and/or crack cocaine use 2009-10” report, published by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, summarises the results of work by the University of Glasgow's Centre for Drug Misuse Research and the University of Manchester's National Drug Evidence Centre, to estimate the prevalence of opiate and/or crack use in England at a national, regional, and local level. In 2009-10, there were 306,150 opiate and/or crack users in England, of which 51,445 were in London and 1,594 in Enfield.
	As part of the Crime Survey of England and Wales, data on self-reported drug use are collected by the Home Office. The following table shows the proportion of adults (aged 16 to 59 years) in England and Wales who have taken the drugs listed in the last year over the past 10 years. The proportion for Enfield is not separately estimated.
	
		
			 Proportion of 16 to 59-year-olds reporting use of illicit drugs in the last year by drug, 2002-03 and 2011-12 
			  2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Class A           
			 Any cocaine 2.1 2.5 2.0 2.4 2.6 2.4 3.0 2.5 2.2 2.2 
			 Powder cocaine 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.4 2.6 2.4 3.0 2.4 2.1 2.2 
			 Crack cocaine 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 
			 Ecstasy 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.4 
			 Hallucinogens 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 
			 LSD 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Magic mushrooms 0.6 0.8 1.1 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 
			 Opiates 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 
			 Heroin 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Methadone 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 
			            
			 Class A/B           
			 Any amphetamine n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1.2 1.0 1.1 0.8 
			 Amphetamines 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.0 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.8 
			 Methamphetamine n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 
			 Class B           
			 Cannabis 10.9 10.8 9.7 8.7 8.2 7.6 7.9 6.6 6.8 6.9 
			 Mephedrone n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1.4 1.1 
			 Spice (and other cannabinoids) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.2 0.1 
			            
			 Class B/C           
			 Tranquillisers 0.6 0.6 .0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.5 
			            
		
	
	
		
			 Class C           
			 Anabolic steroids 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Ketamine n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 
			 GBL/GHB n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.0 0.1 
			 BZP n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.1 0.1 
			            
			 Not classified           
			 Amyl nitrite 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.1 1.0 0.8 
			 Glues 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 n/a n/a 
			 Khat n/a n/a n/a. n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.2 0.2 
			 Note: ‘n/a’ indicates that the question was not applicable or not asked in that particular year. Source: Drug Misuse Declared: Findings from the 2011/12 Crime Survey for England and Wales (2nd Edition), Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			 Proportion of 16 to 59-year-olds reporting use of illicit drugs in the last year by English region and Wales, 2002-03 to 2011-12 
			  2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Powder cocaine           
			 England 2.1 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.7 2.4 3.1 2.5 2.2 2.2 
			 London 3.7 4.5 3.2 4.1 2.9 3.0 4.4 3.0 2.9 3.2 
			            
			 Ecstasy           
			 England 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.9 1.6 1.4 1.4 
			 London 2.6 2.6 2.0 2.0 2.4 2.1 2.2 1.8 2.0 2.2 
			            
			 Hallucinogens           
			 England 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.1 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.5 
			 London 1.0 1.3 1.9 1.5 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.8 
			            
			 Amphetamines           
			 England 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.0 1.2 0.9 1.0 0.8 
			 London 1.9 1.3 1.1 1.3 1.1 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.4 
			            
			 Cannabis           
			 England 11.0 10.8 9.7 8.8 8.3 7.6 7.9 6.6 6.9 7.0 
			 London 13.6 12.8 10.2 8.8 8.4 7.7 9.1 6.8 7.0 7.6 
			            
			 Any Class A drug(1)           
			 England 3.4 3.5 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.1 3.7 3.1 3.0 3.0 
			 London. 5.1 5.5 4.3 5.2 3.6 3.8 4.9 3.5 3.8 4.3 
			            
			 Any drug(2)           
			 England 12.3 12.4 11.3 10.5 10.1 9.6 10.1 8.6 8.9 9.0 
			 London 15.2 14.7 12.2 11.2 10.5 9.4 12.0 9.4 9.2 10.5 
			 (1) “Any Class A drug” comprises powder cocaine, crack cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, magic mushrooms, heroin and methadone plus methamphetamine since 2008/09 interviews. (2) “Any drug” comprises powder cocaine, crack cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, magic mushrooms, ketamine, heroin, methadone, amphetamines, methamphetamine, cannabis, tranquillisers, anabolic steroids, amyl nitrite, any other pills/powders/drugs smoked. Source: Drug Misuse Declared: Findings from the 2011/12 Crime Survey for England and Wales (2nd Edition), Office for National Statistics

Epilepsy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was of unplanned hospitalisations as a result of epilepsy in each year since 2009.

Norman Lamb: This information is not available as it is not possible to estimate the cost to the national health service of unplanned hospitalisations as a result of epilepsy.
	The cost data that the Department collect from NHS providers are not collected on the basis of the reason for admission, but are categorised by Healthcare Resource Groups which describe the treatment provided.

General Practitioners

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of patients was per doctor delivering out-of-hours cover between 7.00 pm and 8.00 am in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: This information is not centrally collected.

General Practitioners

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of NHS-registered patients per general practitioner was in each primary care trust in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: The information requested is set out in the following table, which has been supplied by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care.
	
		
			 Average number of general practitioners (GP) registered patients per GP (excluding retainers and registrars) by primary care trust (PCT) in England, 2007-11 
			 Registered patients per General Practitioner 
			    2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			  England  1,606 1,586 1,520 1,567 1,562 
			         
			 Q30 North East  1,480 1,463 1,411 1,448 1,456 
			  5ND County Durham PCT 1,501 1,507 1,409 1,464 1,526 
			  5J9 Darlington PCT 1,485 1,479 1,488 1,451 1,392 
			  5KF Gateshead PCT 1,417 1,387 1,349 1,324 1,312 
			  5D9 Hartlepool PCT 1,455 1,554 1,449 1,599 1,550 
			  5KM Middlesbrough PCT 1,548 1,626 1,531 1,514 1,499 
			  5D7 Newcastle PCT 1,521 1,469 1,471 1,453 1,402 
			  5D8 North Tyneside PCT 1,436 1,424 1,383 1,387 1,347 
			  TAC Northumberland Care Trust 1,312 1,231 1,239 1,277 1,272 
			  5QR Redcar and Cleveland PCT 1,413 1,442 1,383 1,306 1,376 
			  5KG South Tyneside PCT 1,558 1,551 1,449 1,474 1,500 
			  5E1 Stockton-On-Tees Teaching PCT 1,686 1,692 1,588 1,599 1,665 
			  5KL Sunderland Teaching PCT 1,538 1,495 1,435 1,456 1,489 
			         
			 Q31 North West  1,630 1,606 1,521 1,548 1,552 
			  5HG Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 1,731 1,675 1,750 1,683 1,635 
			  TAP Blackburn with Darwen Teaching Care Trust Plus 1,837 1,739 1,753 1,743 1,732 
			  5HP Blackpool PCT 1,674 1,649 1,553 1,640 1,575 
			  5HQ Bolton PCT 1,648 1,525 1,458 1,394 1,419 
			  5JX Bury PCT 1,810 1,765 1,590 1,671 1,654 
			  5NP Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 1,599 1,541 1,523 1,557 1,619 
			  5NG Central Lancashire PCT 1,739 1,757 1,787 1,851 1,813 
			  5NE Cumbria Teaching PCT 1,381 1,328 1,086 1,206 1,247 
			  5NH East Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,767 1,749 1,758 1,704 1,645 
			  5NM Halton and St Helens PCT 1,706 1,704 1,550 1,649 1,605 
			  5NQ Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 1,779 1,748 1,704 1,579 1,533 
			  5J4 Knowsley PCT 1,872 1,461 1,249 1,365 1,453 
			  5NL Liverpool PCT 1,492 1,628 1,560 1,451 1,344 
			  5NT Manchester PCT 1,653 1,634 1,608 1,551 1,610 
			  5NF North Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,671 1,662 1,616 1,621 1,585 
			  5J5 Oldham PCT 1,794 1,713 1,637 1,668 1,690 
			  5F5 Salford PCT 1,453 1,492 1,363 1,439 1,549 
			  5NJ Sefton PCT 1,667 1,617 1,526 1,616 1,643 
			  5F7 Stockport PCT 1,554 1,519 1,526 1,546 1,568 
			  5LH Tameside and Glossop PCT 1,762 1,854 1,641 1,630 1,717 
			  5NR Trafford PCT 1,671 1,666 1,650 1,625 1,578 
			  5J2 Warrington PCT 1,695 1,712 1,602 1,602 1,541 
			  5NN Western Cheshire PCT 1,437 1,471 1,357 1,318 1,385 
			  5NK Wirral PCT 1,512 1,465 1,355 1,352 1,371 
			         
			 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber  1,540 1,526 1,491 1,521 1,511 
			  5JE Barnsley PCT 1,882 1,806 1,591 1,624 1,612 
			  5NY Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 1,302 1,345 1,295 1,345 1,334 
		
	
	
		
			  5J6 Calderdale PCT 1,803 1,847 1,907 1,853 1,833 
			  5N5 Doncaster PCT 1,735 1,734 1,533 1,622 1,620 
			  5NW East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 1,617 1,632 1,620 1,607 1,603 
			  5NX Hull Teaching PCT 1,853 1,679 1,797 1,699 1,688 
			  5N2 Kirklees PCT 1,691 1,619 1,584 1,673 1,618 
			  5N1 Leeds PCT 1,554 1,529 1,490 1,511 1,524 
			  TAN North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 1,732 1,694 1,648 1,648 1,609 
			  5EF North Lincolnshire PCT 1,668 1,585 1,639 1,575 1,706 
			  5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 1,362 1,371 1,338 1,363 1,329 
			  5H8 Rotherham PCT 1,685 1,619 1,628 1,669 1,638 
			  5N4 Sheffield PCT 1,372 1,399 1,378 1,354 1,320 
			  5N3 Wakefield District PCT 1,536 1,485 1,480 1,493 1,529 
			         
			 Q33 East Midlands  1,687 1,642 1,596 1,645 1,646 
			  5ET Bassetlaw PCT 1,655 1,618 1,605 1,710 1,740 
			  5N7 Derby City PCT 1,772 1,753 1,685 1,640 1,675 
			  5N6 Derbyshire County PCT 1,534 1,458 1,419 1,463 1,470 
			  5PC Leicester City PCT 1,741 1,656 1,776 1,716 1,795 
			  5PA Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 1,718 1,708 1,497 1,593 1,614 
			  5N9 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 1,747 1,738 1,683 1,710 1,719 
			  5PD Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 1,717 1,689 1,717 1,737 1,723 
			  5EM Nottingham City PCT 1,698 1,658 1,671 1,702 1,679 
			  5N8 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 1,679 1,598 1,547 1,611 1,540 
			         
			 Q34 West Midlands  1,656 1,643 1,602 1,617 1,618 
			  5PG Birmingham East and North PCT 1,759 1,686 1,715 1,687 1,708 
			  5MD Coventry Teaching PCT 1,742 1,708 1,662 1,676 1,683 
			  5PE Dudley PCT 1,673 1,631 1,593 1,608 1,561 
			  5MX Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 1,765 1,755 1,686 1,675 1,598 
			  5CN Herefordshire PCT 1,307 1,304 1,347 1,332 1,356 
			  5PH North Staffordshire PCT 1,841 1,733 1,679 1,696 1,582 
			  5PF Sandwell PCT 1,803 1,867 1,801 1,793 1,939 
			  5M2 Shropshire County PCT 1,448 1,433 1,450 1,382 1,429 
			  5QW Solihull Primary Care Trust 1,525 1,551 1,560 1,486 1,530 
			  5M1 South Birmingham PCT 1,428 1,392 1,381 1,394 1,423 
			  5PK South Staffordshire PCT 1,728 1,699 1,711 1,640 1,615 
			  5PJ Stoke on Trent PCT 1,857 1,834 1,670 1,751 1,728 
			  5MK Telford and Wrekin PCT 1,753 1,797 1,681 1,742 1,676 
			  5M3 Walsall Teaching PCT 1,945 1,862 1,665 1,718 1,729 
			  5PM Warwickshire PCT 1,685 1,687 1,658 1,618 1,641 
			  5MV Wolverhampton City PCT 1,920 1,888 1,617 1,767 1,712 
			  5PL Worcestershire PCT 1,431 1,483 1,453 1,471 1,455 
			         
			 Q35 East of England  1,661 1,642 1,625 1,648 1,646 
			  5P2 Bedfordshire PCT 1,647 1,611 1,594 1,651 1,604 
			  5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 1,452 1,433 1,440 1,417 1,455 
			  5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 1,804 1,784 1,763 n/a n/a 
			  5PR Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 1,611 1,640 1,587 1,637 1,582 
			  5QV Hertfordshire PCT n/a n/a n/a 1,694 1,674 
			  5GC Luton PCT 1,978 1,987 1,887 1,915 1,817 
			  5PX Mid Essex PCT 1,791 1,735 1,748 1,761 1,731 
		
	
	
		
			  5PQ Norfolk PCT 1,481 1,454 1,482 1,482 1,462 
			  5PW North East Essex PCT 1,706 1,780 1,802 1,781 1,785 
			  5PN Peterborough PCT 1,715 1,697 1,554 1,638 1,635 
			  5P1 South East Essex PCT 1,901 1,943 1,904 1,889 1,929 
			  5PY South West Essex PCT 2,156 1,985 1,885 1,951 2,032 
			  5PT Suffolk PCT 1,529 1,537 1,514 1,514 1,537 
			  5PV West Essex PCT 1,607 1,611 1,568 1,669 1,684 
			  5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 1,631 1,610 1,583 n/a n/a 
			         
			 Q36 London  1,698 1,666 1,611 1,645 1,626 
			  5C2 Barking and Dagenham PCT 2,210 1,992 1,794 1,737 1,933 
			  5A9 Barnet PCT 1,671 1,670 1,647 1,632 1,714 
			  TAK Bexley Care Trust 2,056 2,124 1,893 1,932 1,977 
			  5K5 Brent Teaching PCT 1,776 1,722 1,639 1,706 1,544 
			  5A7 Bromley PCT 1,578 1,512 1,511 1,492 1,516 
			  5K7 Camden PCT 1,525 1,373 1,411 1,362 1,350 
			  5C3 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 1,410 1,509 1,464 1,395 1,416 
			  5K9 Croydon PCT 1,688 1,583 1,588 1,706 1,689 
			  5HX Ealing PCT 1,716 1,682 1,776 1,800 1,760 
			  5C1 Enfield PCT 1,753 1,774 1,600 1,507 1,739 
			  5A8 Greenwich Teaching PCT 1,879 1,907 1,747 1,708 1,700 
			  5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 1,752 1,558 1,656 1,490 1,535 
			  5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT 1,785 1,726 1,697 1,594 1,531 
			  5K6 Harrow PCT 1,631 1,566 1,498 1,558 1,463 
			  5A4 Havering PCT 1,902 2,014 1,930 1,962 1,958 
			  5AT Hillingdon PCT 1,940 1,878 1,761 1,834 1,840 
			  5HY Hounslow PCT 1,986 1,882 1,897 1,848 1,898 
			  5K8 Islington PCT 1,567 1,533 1,434 1,405 1,382 
			  5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 1,801 1,725 1,800 1,737 1,599 
			  5A5 Kingston PCT 1,581 1,591 1,566 1,586 1,545 
			  5LD Lambeth PCT 1,441 1,447 1,366 1,420 1,400 
			  5LF Lewisham PCT 1,580 1,525 1,502 1,564 1,535 
			  5C5 Newham PCT 1,710 1,816 1,751 1,788 1,762 
			  5NA Redbridge PCT 2,013 2,034 1,909 2,032 1,951 
			  5M6 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 1,636 1,653 1,638 1,627 1,594 
			  5LE Southwark PCT 1,591 1,532 1,505 1,619 1,484 
			  5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,661 1,671 1,583 1,536 1,480 
			  5C4 Tower Hamlets PCT 1,518 1,441 1,233 1,321 1,245 
			  5NC Waltham Forest PCT 1,743 1,854 1,694 1,805 1,775 
			  5LG Wandsworth PCT 1,633 1,617 1,553 1,462 1,379 
			  5LC Westminster PCT 1,770 1,514 1,617 1,702 1,494 
			         
			 Q37 South East Coast  1,650 1,638 1,596 1,603 1,579 
			  5LQ Brighton and Hove City PCT 1,716 1,734 1,656 1,860 1,769 
			  5P7 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 1,555 1,566 1,567 1,502 1,478 
			  5QA Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 1,695 1,635 1,593 1,590 1,648 
			  5P8 Hastings and Rother PCT 1,593 1,578 1,629 1,567 1,476 
			  5L3 Medway PCT 2,081 2,016 1,687 1,695 1,679 
			  5P5 Surrey PCT 1,582 1,582 1,567 1,536 1,509 
			  5P9 West Kent PCT 1,799 1,771 1,701 1,704 1,657 
			  5P6 West Sussex PCT 1,522 1,534 1,515 1,542 1,500 
			         
			 Q38 South Central  1,595 1,595 1,348 1,562 1,543 
		
	
	
		
			  5QG Berkshire East PCT 1,845 1,729 1,277 1,690 1,653 
			  5QF Berkshire West PCT 1,614 1,610 1,262 1,621 1,561 
			  5QD Buckinghamshire PCT 1,568 1,582 1,176 1,524 1,528 
			  5QC Hampshire PCT 1,600 1,587 1,556 1,536 1,511 
			  5QT Isle of Wight NHS PCT 1,608 1,616 1,599 1,535 1,496 
			  5CQ Milton Keynes PCT 1,696 1,749 1,308 1,729 1,719 
			  5QE Oxfordshire PCT 1,442 1,458 1,125 1,423 1,410 
			  5FE Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 1,734 1,751 1,717 1,775 1,764 
			  5L1 Southampton City PCT 1,481 1,562 1,542 1,532 1,552 
			         
			 Q39 South West  1,403 1,386 1,340 1,356 1,343 
			  5FL Bath and North East Somerset PCT 1,557 1,448 1,394 1,323 1,316 
			  5QN Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 1,549 1,522 1,484 1,516 1,463 
			  5QJ Bristol PCT 1,288 1,257 1,245 1,282 1,271 
			  5QP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 1,391 1,391 1,241 1,365 1,393 
			  5QQ Devon PCT 1,239 1,226 1,215 1,228 1,163 
			  5QM Dorset PCT 1,366 1,364 1,337 1,323 1,314 
			  5QH Gloucestershire PCT 1,509 1,515 1,390 1,406 1,370 
			  5M8 North Somerset PCT 1,582 1,524 1,448 1,333 1,306 
			  5F1 Plymouth Teaching PCT 1,397 1,393 1,415 1,384 1,415 
			  5QL Somerset PCT 1,339 1,322 1,286 1,305 1,299 
			  5A3 South Gloucestershire PCT 1,426 1,358 1,346 1,379 1,380 
			  5K3 Swindon PCT 1,660 1,661 1,563 1,487 1,572 
			  TAL Torbay Care Trust 1,398 1,428 1,428 1,458 1,459 
			  5QK Wiltshire PCT 1,491 1,482 1,486 1,468 1,477 
			 n/a = data not available Notes: 1. Data are as at 30 September in each year. 2. PCTs provided are those in existence at the time of the relevant census. East and North Hertfordshire and West Hertfordshire PCTs merged in 2010 to form a single Hertfordshire PCT. Wherever the name of a PCT has changed over the time series but the boundaries remained the same the most recent name as at 30 September 2011 has been used. 3. GP figures are excluding GP Retainers and GP Registrars 4. Registered patient figures used for the calculation in the data were taken from the annual GP Census publication, which is collected directly from the Exeter GP payment system. They are numbers of registrations only and do not represent a precise count of physical people as some people are registered multiple times at different practices and similarly some people are not registered with a GP at all. 5. Headcount Methodology: The new headcount methodology from 2010 onwards means these data are not fully comparable with previous years, due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the census publication: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/workforce/nhs-staff-numbers Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. 6. Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.

General Practitioners

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of locum doctors providing out-of-hours cover in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of providing this cover.

Anna Soubry: This information is not centrally collected.

Harrow Primary Care Trust: Surgery

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Harrow Primary Care Trust area aged (a) 65 and (b) 75 years or over in need of (i) a new hip, (ii) a new knee and (iii) other joint replacement were rejected for surgery in (A) 2010-11 and (B) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health Professions: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses were working for the NHS in London for NHS trusts (i) in 2010-11, (ii) in 2011-12 and (iii) on 31 July 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The number of doctors and nurses working in the London Strategic Health Authority area by national health service organisation as at 30 September 2012 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 NHS hospital and community health services: Medical and dental staff and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the London Strategic Health Authority area by organisation as at 30 September each specified year(1) 
			 Headcount 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			  Medical and dental staff Qualified nursing staff Medical and dental staff Qualified nursing staff Medical and dental staff Qualified nursing staff 
			 London Strategic Health Authority area 21,623 55,475 21,928 55,578 21,997 56,192 
			        
			 Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trust (PCT) 2 20 2 17 2 4 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 820 1,791 840 2,027 881 2,055 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 669 1,422 682 1,432 694 1,485 
			 Barnet PCT 45 325 39 321 10 0 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 223 674 224 875 215 846 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust 1,244 2,561 1,349 2,677 0 0 
			 Barts Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 0 2,047 4,801 
			 Bexley Care Trust 1 11 1 8 3 8 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 24 230 4 10 4 10 
			 Bromley Healthcare 0 0 0 0 21 260 
			 Bromley PCT 33 311 34 282 14 15 
			 Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust 141 563 136 514 135 473 
			 Camden PCT 86 251 80 261 5 0 
			 Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust 341 1,173 325 1,181 418 1,728 
			 Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 40 765 64 1,066 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 595 1,142 617 1,128 622 1,163 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 29 275 17 30 15 20 
			 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 450 1,034 457 1,004 454 967 
			 Croydon PCT 7 34 2 0 0 0 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 305 560 363 1,179 364 1,179 
			 Ealing PCT 32 276 4 12 3 12 
			 East London NHS Foundation Trust 292 911 277 1,191 283 1,144 
			 Enfield PCT 14 232 4 2 0 0 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 621 1,429 632 1,484 641 1,501 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Foundation Trust 509 1,184 533 1,145 544 1,246 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 19 250 6 6 8 6 
			 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 1,518 3,232 1,543 3,789 1,597 3,891 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 3 40 4 17 2 15 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 35 167 5 10 0 0 
			 Harrow PCT 14 172 0 0 0 0 
			 Havering PCT 28 610 28 525 6 3 
			 Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 376 810 388 814 389 799 
			 Hillingdon PCT 28 272 18 279 2 10 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 373 784 400 1,064 410 1,068 
			 Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 4 0 4 0 
			 Hounslow PCT 1 2 1 2 1 2 
		
	
	
		
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 1,704 3,344 1,698 3,370 1,650 3,363 
			 Islington PCT 52 239 1 6 23 30 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 25 772 3 3 3 3 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 1,224 2,297 1,261 2,417 1,303 2,562 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 396 856 410 820 415 859 
			 Kingston PCT 2 4 0 0 0 0 
			 Lambeth PCT 40 269 5 4 8 4 
			 Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust 380 877 399 1,042 409 1,030 
			 Lewisham PCT 13 211 3 109 6 95 
			 London Strategic Hearth Authority 7 2 6 1 6 1 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 300 339 311 370 313 370 
			 Newham PCT 15 303 0 0 0 0 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 331 782 347 783 0 0 
			 North East London NHS Foundation Trust 182 751 195 754 249 1,808 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 365 749 378 761 377 736 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 746 1,622 770 1,615 770 1,685 
			 Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 146 860 160 1,108 151 1,113 
			 Redbridge PCT 7 92 11 96 2 16 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 16 359 9 322 11 332 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust 383 1,094 390 1,148 410 1,163 
			 Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust 888 1,630 897 1,643 826 1,552 
			 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust 353 819 346 831 343 1,145 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 144 359 154 372 166 380 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 442 1,600 448 1,540 433 1,537 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 895 2,031 891 2,018 890 1,972 
			 South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 240 730 246 704 237 630 
			 Southwark PCT 34 230 11 0 11 0 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 988 2,458 1,072 2,498 1,075 2,522 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 9 331 3 304 0 0 
			 Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust 52 14 52 15 54 17 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 45 327 0 0 0 0 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 1,123 2,264 1,135 2,357 1,202 2,366 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 2 11 1 4 1 4 
			 Wandsworth PCT 14 16 21 38 21 32 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 266 1,311 253 1,220 245 1,123 
			 West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 353 751 346 702 342 694 
			 Westminster PCT 11 10 8 3 10 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 413 1,222 429 1,250 0 0 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 381 831 466 1,286 466 1,228 
			 Your Healthcare 8 179 7 188 6 187 
			 (1) 2010-11 figures are from the annual workforce census, as at 30 September 2012 figures are from the Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics, as at 30 June. July figures are not yet available. Note: A few NHS organisations existed within the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) database with small numbers of staff as a result of the impact of Transforming Community Services and the resultant system mergers and demergers which were still ongoing in June 2012. Headcount totals may not equal the sum of components: The new headcount methodology from 2010 onwards is not fully comparable with previous years’ data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication here: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/nhsstaff0010/Census_Bulletin_March_2011_Final.pdf Monthly data: As from 21 July 2010 the Health and Social Care Information Centre has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data are not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; they include only those staff on the ESR (ie they do not include Primary care staff or Bank staff), they also include locum doctors (not counted in the annual census). There are also new methods of presenting data (headcount methodology is different and there is now a role count). This information is available from September 2009 onwards at the following website: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provisionalmonthlyhchsworkforce Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics

Health Services: Overseas Visitors

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating non-EU visitors that was not recovered in each of the last 10 years.

Anna Soubry: The following table shows, for the years that are available, the total losses, bad debts and claims abandoned in relation to overseas visitors not entitled to free national health service hospital treatment that NHS trusts in England have recorded in their accounts. The chairman of Monitor has provided similar data for NHS foundation trusts, which are also in the table.
	The data may relate to treatment provided to overseas visitors in earlier financial years. Furthermore, since overseas visitors can include United Kingdom and European Union nationals, the data will not relate exclusively to non-EU visitors. The Department does not hold information centrally about the nationality of patients treated by the NHS.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Overseas visitors: losses, bad debts and claims abandoned 
			  NHS trusts NHS foundation trusts Total 
			 2011-12 8,880,564 2,676,000 11,556,564 
			 2010-11 6,773,733 7,182,000 13,955,733 
			 2009-10 6,967,780 2,120,000 9,087,780 
			 2008-09 5,204,856 3,269,000 8,473,856 
			 2007-08 6,468,751 2,621,000 9,089,751 
			 2006-07 5,046,763 — 5,046,763 
			 2005-06 3,883,017 — 3,882,017 
			 2004-05 2,369,650 — 2,369,650 
			 2003-04 3,334,173 — 3,334,173 
			 2002-03 2,109,000 — 2,109,000 
			 Source: NHS trust audited summarisation schedules and NHS foundation trust consolidated accounts (data are not available from NHS foundation trusts prior to 2007-08).

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by the UK under the European health insurance card scheme for the treatment of British registered patients in European economic area countries in 2011-12; and how much was received under the scheme for the treatment of European Economic Area patients by the NHS.

Anna Soubry: For the year 2011-12, the United Kingdom incurred claims to the value of £134,819,831 from other European economic area countries for treating UK citizens under the European health insurance card scheme. The UK raised equivalent claims to the value of £34,885,773.47.

Heart Diseases

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the role of the long-term conditions outcome strategy will be in improving the quality and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation;
	(2)  what the role of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy will be in improving the quality and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and evaluate usage of and (b) promote to the NHS (i) his Department's commissioning pack for cardiac rehabilitation, (ii) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on cardiac rehabilitation, (iii) the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation standards and core components of cardiac and rehabilitation.

Anna Soubry: The importance of effective cardiac rehabilitation has been underlined in National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines and in the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease. However, we recognise that more can be done to improve the quality and uptake of cardiac rehabilitation which is why it is being considered as part of the development of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy.
	The main source of information about cardiac rehabilitation is the National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation; which is funded by the British Heart Foundation. This provides evidence of the quality and effectiveness of services to encourage local areas to improve their provision of cardiac rehabilitation to that of the best.
	In addition, NHS Improvement recently concluded a programme of work supporting commissioners and providers with implementation of the Department's commissioning pack for cardiac rehabilitation. All the. learning from this programme, together with other NHS Improvement work aimed at driving up quality and efficiency in cardiac rehabilitation services, is captured in a new interactive digital resource, “Quality, innovation and value in cardiac rehabilitation: commissioning for improvement”. The resource actively promotes the Department's commissioning pack, the NICE clinical guidelines on cardiac rehabilitation and the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation standards.
	The Department has been working with stakeholders and colleagues from across Whitehall to identify shared areas of interest that could have an impact on the outcomes for people living with long-term conditions, including those with cardio-vascular disease. This work is ongoing.

Heart Diseases

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent progress his Department has made on the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy,
	(2)  with reference to the joint report, “Tackling Cardiovascular Disease: Priorities for the Outcomes Strategy”, what account he is taking of the report to inform the forthcoming cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy.

Anna Soubry: Progress continues to be made on the development of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy. The joint report, “Tackling Cardiovascular Disease: Priorities for the Outcomes Strategy”, has made a valuable contribution to this along with the many views and comments that have been received through our engagement activity with a wide range of interests, including patients, carers, health care professionals and voluntary sector organisations. The aim is to publish the outcomes strategy within this financial year.

Influenza: Vaccination

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Health Protection Agency to report their findings on the potential links between the Pandemrix form of influenza vaccine and an increased risk of narcolepsy amongst those under the age of 17; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The results of the Health Protection Agency study are in the process of submission for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The timing of publication is subject to completion of this process. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has no direct role in the Health Protection Agency study.

Insulin

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to collect data on the amounts spent on insulin pumps to treat diabetes.

Anna Soubry: The Department has no current plans to collect data on insulin pump use in England. Insulin pumps and their consumables are non-prescription items and not currently captured in the annual Prescribing for Diabetes in England dataset.
	The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists recently commissioned an insulin pump audit. This showed that there are at least 11,985 people over the age of 18-years-old and at least 4,447 people 17-years-old or younger using an insulin pump in England. Insulin pump therapy is a viable treatment for approximately 12% of adults and children aged over 12-years-old and 33% of children under the age of 12 years, who have type 1 diabetes.

Midwives

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the likely number of midwives in the NHS in each of the next three years.

Daniel Poulter: The Information Centre for health and social care collects data on the number of midwives working in the National Health Service. The following table shows the number of qualified midwives working in the NHS in each of the last five years.
	
		
			 Full time equivalent (FTE) qualified midwives in England as at 30 September each year 
			  Registered midwives (FTE) 
			 2007 19,298 
			 2008 19,639 
			 2009 20,236 
		
	
	
		
			 2010 20,790 
			 2011 20,519 
			 Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-medical Workforce Census 
		
	
	The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that we have the right number of trained midwives, especially given the increased number and complexity of births in recent years. Women should receive excellent maternity services that focus on the best outcomes, for women and their babies, and the woman's experience of care.
	It is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to plan and deliver a workforce appropriate to the needs of their local population, based on clinical need and sound evidence.
	Since May 2010 an additional 960 midwives are now working in the NHS and midwife training numbers are at a record high, with 2,578 places planned for 2012-13. There are currently around 5,000 midwives in training.

NHS: Emergencies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals are designated as major trauma centres in the event of a major disaster in the UK.

Anna Soubry: As of April 2012, in NHS England 26 designated major trauma centres (MTCs), shown as follows, now serve the public in the event of major national or regional incidents. They are the hub of regional trauma networks, composed of all the local hospitals and are also linked up to specialist services (such, as burns, spinal cord injury and paediatrics) as required. The whole network would be utilised, including local hospital trauma units, to disseminate patients far more effectively by best matching specialist resources and expertise to patients' needs.
	Major Trauma Centres
	Adult and Children's Major Trauma Centres
	1. Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge
	2. Frenchay Hospital Bristol
	3. James Cook University Hospital Middlesbrough
	4. John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford
	5. King's College Hospital London
	6. Leeds General Infirmary
	7. Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham
	8. Royal London Hospital
	9. Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle
	10. St Mary's Hospital London
	11. St George's Hospital London
	12. Southampton General Hospital
	Adult Major Trauma Centres
	13. Derriford Hospital Plymouth
	14. Hull Royal Infirmary
	15. Northern General Hospital Sheffield
	16. Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham .
	17. Royal Preston Hospital
	18. Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton
	19. University Hospital Coventry
	20. University Hospital of North Staffordshire Stoke on Trent
	Children's MTCs
	21. Alder Hey Children's Hospital Liverpool
	22. Birmingham Children's Hospital
	23. Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
	24. Sheffield Children's Hospital
	Collaborative
	25. Manchester Collaborative MTC
	(a) Salford Royal NHS Trust
	(b) Manchester Royal Infirmary
	(c) University Hospital South Manchester
	26. Liverpool Collaborative MTC
	(a) Aintree University Hospital
	(b) Walton Centre
	(c) Royal Liverpool University Hospital

NHS: Emergencies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protocol arrangements he has reached with the NHS on the number of ambulances required to attend a designated major disaster; and within what timescales attendance would happen.

Anna Soubry: Ambulance services determine the level of resources required to attend a major incident using tools set out in the 2005 Department of Health Emergency Planning Guidance and in individual Trusts' Major Incidents Procedures. This is in line with the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
	Response times are set by the Department for ambulance services. Ambulance trusts are required to reach 75% of the most seriously ill and injured patients within eight minutes.

NHS: Finance

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the importance of deprivation weighting in the public health funding formula.

Anna Soubry: This Government have an ambitious vision to help people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives, and to improve the health of the poorest, fastest. From 2013, public health services will be funded by a new ring-fenced grant that will be allocated to upper tier and unitary local authorities to carry out specific public health functions.
	The development of the funding formula to support the allocation of public health resources is being overseen by the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA). ACRA’s interim recommendations on the formula were published in June followed by a period of engagement with key national and local stakeholders from both local government and the national health service.
	ACRA’s interim formula is based principally on a measure of population health which will be applied to small areas to take account of localised health inequalities within local authority areas. This means that funding is targeted towards those areas with the poorest health outcomes and greatest deprivation. Building up from small areas means the formula can take account of pockets of deprivation in local authorities that otherwise have good health outcomes.
	ACRA has used the feedback to finalise its recommendations on the formula to be used for the allocation of the 2013-14 ring-fenced grant to local authorities. These recommendations have now been sent to the Secretary of State for consideration. Full details of their recommendations will be published in due course.

NHS: Innovation

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department is doing to encourage innovation within the NHS.

Daniel Poulter: Innovation remains crucial to delivering a world-class health service, in terms of improving the quality of patient care and its contribution to economic growth. The report, “Innovation Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS”, published in December 2011, sets out a delivery agenda for spreading innovation at pace and scale throughout the national health service.
	In addition to this, the Strategy for UK Life Sciences, launched alongside “Innovation Health and Wealth”, contains a package of more long-term measures building on those included in the Plan for Growth.
	Together these strategies enable the United Kingdom to capitalise on strengths such as its world-class science and clinical research, as well as its talent base of pioneering life science researchers and first rate universities.

NHS: Private Patients

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what income NHS trusts and foundation trusts earned from the treatment of private patients; and what proportion of their total income such revenue represented, in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: The consolidated figures for private patient income of NHS foundation trusts and NHS trusts are provided in the table.
	The total private patient income for NHS foundation trusts in 2010-11 is £274 million. This corrects the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter), on 17 September 2012, Official Report, column 495W.
	
		
			 Financial year Private patient income across all NHS trusts (£ million) Percentage of total revenue earned from private patients(%) Private patient income across all NHS foundation trusts (£ million) Percentage of total revenue earned from private patients (%) 
			 2011-12 177 0.57 304 1.1 
			 2010-11 176 0.60 274 1.1 
			 2009-10 190 0.67 224 1.0 
			 2008-09 227 0.75 190 1.1 
			 2007-08 238 0.72 165 1.3

NHS: Procurement

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what savings have been made as part of the QIPP challenge relating to the procurement of consumables as regards (a) price variation and (b) improved use and management of stock at (i) national, (ii) regional and (iii) local level in the last two financial years;
	(2)  what proportion of the QIPP challenge efficiency savings (a) strategic health authorities and (b) foundation trusts have identified as necessary to make within the (i) procurement work stream and (ii) area of procured consumables in (A) 2012-13, (B) 2013-14 and (C) 2014-15;
	(3)  what progress he has made on increasing transparency in price variation in the procurement of consumables as recommended in the National Audit Office report, entitled “The procurement of consumables by NHS acute and foundation trusts”, HC 705, session 2010-11.

Anna Soubry: Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) delivery has now been mainstreamed into “business as usual” and progress continues to be monitored at a national level. Integrated performance measures, covering quality, resources and reform as laid out in the Operating Framework for 2012-13 are used by the Department to ensure that the national health service is on track to deliver the QIPP challenge, and maintain quality. The Department has started to collect data on the actual QIPP savings made by the NHS. Both of these elements are published in “The Quarter”, which outlines the NHS financial position and progress made in health and care services on a quarterly basis.
	“The Quarter” can be accessed via the following link:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_131955
	A price benchmarking pilot with 20 trusts for 12 products was undertaken with support from the Foundation Trust Network and the results were published in September 2011 along with guidance to trusts on using the analysis to understand how they can undertake more benchmarking.
	In May 2012, the Department published: “NHS Procurement Raising our Game”, which sets out steps that the NHS should take immediately to start the journey of improvement in procurement. “Raising Our Game” recommends key actions for improvement which include:
	the NHS must share data, so that the prices paid for the same goods and services can be seen by different organisations;
	trusts should publish all tender and contract information for tenders over £10,000; and
	trusts should stop signing non-disclosure agreements with suppliers which prevent the free sharing of pricing information between trusts.
	The NHS supply chain pilot for using web-based systems, which allow them to be more transparent on their offer, is under way, with progress monitored by the Department. Additionally, benchmarking has been included as a workstream of the NHS Supply Chain Customer Board to determine how the NHS can best make use of NHS supply chain's data to achieve efficiencies through comparison with other NHS organisations.

NHS: Procurement

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor the payment (a) of its main contractors within 14 days and (b) by main contractors to sub-contractors within 30 days.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not specifically monitor the proportion of payments made within 14 days as this is not a target that has been set. The Department of Health operates standard contractual payment terms of 30 days.
	However, the Department has also signed up to the Government's Prompt Payment policy under which the target is to pay all valid supplier invoices that are received at the nominated address within five days of receipt. Performance against this target is expected to be published on the Department's website within six days of the previous month. Performance against this target has not fallen below 90% since January 2011.
	The Department's standard terms and conditions of contract include provision that sub-contractors must be paid by the Department's contractors within 30 days. The Department would investigate complaints by a sub-contractor to ensure our contractors continue to meet their contractual responsibilities.

NHS: Redundancy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS employees have been made redundant and re-employed as consultants by his Department in each of the last seven years.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not employ management consultants. It contracts for the delivery of consultancy services from companies and does not keep central records of the number or the identities of individual management consultants used by those companies to deliver the services for each contract.
	The Department's central human resources and procurement records do not hold information about the previous employment and redundancy history of any individual consultant, contractor or other supplier we engage or contract with.

NHS: Secondment

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many employees of NHS care trusts were seconded to his Department in each year since 2005;
	(2)  how many employees of NHS ambulance trusts were seconded to his Department in each year since 2005;
	(3)  how many employees of NHS special health authorities were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years;
	(4)  how many employees of NHS mental health trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years;
	(5)  how many employees of NHS acute trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years;
	(6)  how many employees of NHS foundation trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years;
	(7)  how many employees of NHS strategic health authorities were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years;
	(8)  how many employees of NHS primary care trusts were seconded to his Department in each of the last seven years;
	(9)  how many NHS employees were seconded to his Department in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008, (e) 2009, (f) 2010, (g) 2011 and (h) 2012 to date.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's electronic business management system collates information on the number of employees seconded to the Department but does not hold information on the organisations from which staff are seconded to the Department.
	The following table gives information about the number of secondees (as full-time equivalents) into the Department as of 30 September in each year.
	
		
			 ‘Secondees-in’ at Department of Health 
			  Full-time equivalents 
			 2005 97 
			 2006 129 
			 2007 147 
			 2008 177 
			 2009 289 
			 2010 283 
			 2011 169 
			 2012 167 
		
	
	It should be noted that data from the previous administrative systems that the Department's business management system (BMS) replaced, existing prior to 1 July 2008, are not totally reliable.
	To provide information as requested about the organisations from which staff were seconded would require a manual search of all the personnel records for secondees since 2007, which would incur disproportionate costs.

North West London Hospitals NHS Trust: Private Patients

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income from private patients the North West London Hospitals NHS Trust received in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much it expects to receive in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The revenue earned by North West London Hospitals NHS Trust from private patients in the financial year 2010-11 was £4.578 million.
	The information is taken from the audited summarisation schedule of the organisation, from which the NHS (England) Summarised Accounts are prepared.
	2011-12 data are available from the Department's Annual Report and Accounts which have been laid before Parliament. However, the information will also be available via the NHS trust's own published accounts.
	Information on how much the trust expects to receive in 2012-13 is not currently held by the Department.

Nurses: Recruitment

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were recruited by the NHS in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The information on recruitment is not collected centrally.

Organs: Donors

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the population in Barnsley Central constituency have joined the national organ register.

Anna Soubry: NHS Blood and Transplant advise that the current number of people on the Organ Donor Register in the constituency of Barnsley Central is 21,537. It is not possible to say with accuracy what percentage of the current population this is as the latest population figure held for Barnsley Central is for 2010.

Out of Area Treatment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answers of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 325-6W and 21 June 2012, Official Report, columns 1106-7W, how many patients registered at an address in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland were referred to NHS services in England for residential treatment for each category of medical condition in each month since May 2007;
	(2)  what the total cost was for referrals of patients registered at an address in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since May 2007.

Anna Soubry: The Department does not hold information about patients registered at addresses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive residential treatment in England or about the cost of referrals for patients registered in these counties who receive treatment at hospitals in England.

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department have taken to prepare for the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

Anna Soubry: The Department is reviewing procurement processes in light of the provisions of the Act. When Cabinet Office's advice to procurers and commissioners is available then the Department will finalise its guidance and deliver any appropriate training.

Radiotherapy

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the next radiotherapy dataset to be published;
	(2)  what information he proposes the next radiotherapy dataset will contain on the provision and availability of intensity modulated radiotherapy in individual (a) cancer networks and (b) trusts.

Anna Soubry: The radiotherapy dataset (RTDS) is collected throughout the year. A report analysing the first full year's collection of the dataset, 2009-10 was published by the Department in August 2011. The 2010-11 data were published on the National Cancer Statistics and Analysis Team website in March 2012 at the following link:
	www.canceruk.net/rtservices/rtds/RTDSDownloads/RTDS%202nd%20Annual%20Report%202010-11.pdf
	Key data from the dataset are also available on the Cancer Commissioning Toolkit, which is available to providers, commissioners and other organisations with an interest in cancer services. The Cancer Commissioning Toolkit data from the RTDS are updated regularly.
	The RTDS collects activity data on intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) by trust provider. These can be identified by the preparation coding for IMRT, although they do not distinguish inverse and forward planned IMRT. Coding for IMRT has been evolving since the establishment of the RTDS and so additional guidance has been issued to provider trusts. This will help provide a consistent interpretation of coding and allow standard interpretation of IMRT in clinical practice.
	We will shortly be publishing an update report on the state of radiotherapy in England that will contain survey RTDS and survey data on IMRT.

Radiotherapy

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which the Cancer Radiotherapy Innovation Fund will increase access to intensity modulated radiotherapy;
	(2)  when he plans to present detailed plans for the implementation of the Cancer Radiotherapy Innovation Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Cancer Radiotherapy Innovation Fund will ensure that, from April 2013, radiotherapy centres will be ready to deliver treatment using intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to all national health service patients who need it.
	In August 2012, the National Cancer Director wrote to all radiotherapy centres asking them to prepare action plans to enable them to deliver 24% of radical treatment using inverse planned IMRT from the end of March 2013. Those plans have been reviewed and the Department is working with the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group, which includes the relevant professional bodies and Cancer Research UK, to develop criteria and help centres bid for money to support delivery of their action plans, which might include the purchase of additional software licences that may be needed.
	National support will also be provided through a programme of visits to individual centres by expert teams. These visits will begin shortly and are due to complete in December 2012. Training courses aimed at clinical teams will be delivered around the country from January to March 2013.

Research

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what external policy research his Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; from which organisation each such piece of research was commissioned; and what the cost of each such piece of research was.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's Policy Research Programme (PRP) funds research in three main ways:
	(i) long-term programmes of research in academic policy research units, designed to meet the longer-term research needs of the Department as well as to provide rapid response functions;
	(ii) large-scale initiatives, comprising linked groups of studies, providing a range of empirical evidence on a key policy area or issue; and
	(iii) single projects and literature or scoping reviews. PRP research is usually commissioned by open competitive tender.
	A list of PRP-funded research starting between April 2006 and September 2012 has been placed in the Library.

Reserve Forces

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reservists are employed by his Department.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not held by the Department. The Civil Service Employee Policy Unit is developing a reservist policy for all Government Departments. There will be data monitoring of this new policy but this is not yet in place.

Respiratory System: Health Services

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to retain the expertise of the regional respiratory programme boards.

Anna Soubry: Funding for the regional respiratory programme boards runs until 31 March 2013. Any central financial support after this date is a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board. Regional financial support will be a matter for clinical commissioning groups.

Smallpox: Vaccination

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS personnel are currently vaccinated against smallpox.

Anna Soubry: Vaccination of a cohort of front-line health workers to deal with any initial suspected or confirmed case of smallpox if one were to occur was completed in 2005. The cohort comprised a total of 516 vaccinated personnel of whom 147 were doctors, 164 were nurses, 100 were ambulance staff, 32 were scientists and 73 held other related health care occupations. All were carefully screened and monitored and none had adverse complications that required vaccinia immunoglobulin. The Department's smallpox policy is currently under review.

Thalidomide

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on the continuation of the thalidomide health grant beyond 2012.

Norman Lamb: No inter-ministerial discussions have taken place to date, but Department of Health officials have regular and ongoing discussions with colleagues in the devolved Administrations about this important issue.

Waste Disposal: Health Hazards

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken since the investigation by the Health Protection Agency in 2003 into clusters of diseases linked to long-term exposure to chemicals from landfill sites and incinerators.

Anna Soubry: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has assessed “the impact on health of emissions to air from municipal waste incinerators”. The agency concluded that modern, well-managed incinerators make only a small contribution to local concentrations of air pollutants. It stated that it is possible that such small additions could have an impact on health but such effects, if they exist, are likely to be very small and not detectable.
	The HPA has also considered “the impact on health of emissions from landfill sites”. It concluded that a well-managed modern landfill site does not pose a significant risk to human health.
	Both documents can be found on the HPA's website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_ C/1251473372218
	www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_ C/1309969974126

Waste Disposal: Health Hazards

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on any link between incinerator emissions and the incidence of still births and birth defects;
	(2)  what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on any link between air pollution and the incidence of still births; and what recent steps his Department has taken in response to the findings of that research;
	(3)  what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the correlation between adult diabetes and particulate air pollution; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated any research on links between incinerator emissions or air pollution and incidence of still births, birth defects and diabetes.
	The Health Protection Agency is funding a multi-site study of birth outcomes, including still births and birth defects, around municipal waste incinerators currently operating in England and Wales. This study will be undertaken by researchers in Imperial College and King's College London, both part of the MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health. Preliminary results from the study are expected in March 2014. The Agency keeps the literature on the health effects of emissions to air from incinerators under regular review.